Freak Attraction: Seven-Man Circus
by ArtisteFish
Summary: A macabre new circus has come to Japan, boasting the strangest collection of freaks ever seen. When Kagome and Inuyasha learn what these 'freaks' really are, they determine to set them free form their sadistic captors. But they need time, and in a city full of humans and no way to fight, their only choice is to become circus acts themselves. AU *sequel*
1. A Day in Yokohama

~Freak Attraction: Seven-Man Circus~

*Sequel to my AU fanfiction "Freak Attraction" which can be found in my list of stories

Chapter 1: A Day in Yokohama

* * *

A high wall… a forest… some surprise for her birthday, and then a black tent.

"Get offa me."

Bars… there were bars everywhere: cold and iron and all-enclosing. A giant centipede, and then a flash of light, and a pair of arms as warm and comforting and familiar as a blanket. Red and silver and charcoal black were the only colors she could see… the only colors that mattered.

"I would have been happy to wander with you forever."

Silver became black, black changed back to silver, white eyes bled red and blue and she was trapped in a ring, the walls lined with wretched faces and a dull roar in her ears she couldn't keep out.

"Kagome"

A simple whisper of her name, but it meant so much. Spider webs faded and darkness fled at that sound, and she was in the snow, holding a warm hand in hers and hearing a song come from her lips… it changed from one tune to another, and she could never be sure if it were her voice singing or someone else's.

"Kagome"

She could see his face as he said her name in the dark night, a small smile on his lips, gold eyes gleaming in the firelight and ears twitching to catch her faint breaths as she slowly leaned toward him….

"Kagome!"

Her eyes snapped open to find the bright rays of morning filling her room, and at the realization that she was not alone, she turned her face upward to see an amused smile on her mother's face.

"I thought you said you could get up on your own," Mrs. Higurashi teased, "but when you didn't come down for breakfast, I figured someone had better make sure you woke up in time for school!" Her mother's soft look became mischievous, but she hid it fairly well and managed to say with a straight face "Although from what you were mumbling in your sleep, I don't think I was the person you were hoping to see."

Kagome flushed, gripping her blankets around her face to surreptitiously bury beneath them. "I… I was just… remembering some things. That's all!"

With a slight chuckle her mother turned to leave, saying over her shoulder with a laugh "Alright Kagome, I understand. But you really should hurry and get ready! You don't want to be late for your last day of class!"

With a yelp Kagome flung her blanket away, rushing to her chest of drawers for her clothes and almost tripping over the edge of her nightgown. She stepped into her green hakama – the second pair she'd owned, as her first had been torn and stained beyond repair. The striped green kimono she wore to school was also a replacement, as was the red ribbon tied at the back of her head, pulling some of her black hair away from her face while letting the rest fall mid-way down her back. Doing a turn for her vanity mirror, Kagome shrugged with a smile at her still somewhat groggy reflection and grabbed a tied stack of books from her desk before rushing down the stairs of her western-styled home.

"Bye Souta, bye Shippo!" she called as she rushed past the living room, the shoji screen open wide on the two young boys playing with marbles on the mat. Souta muttered his greeting distractedly as he lined up his marble to shoot, but Shippo, who'd already had his turn, sprung up to follow the girl into the kitchen. "Kagome, are we still leaving today?"

"Later Shippo – after my last examination is over!" She called back, accepting a wrapped package of rice-balls from her mother and adding them to her pile of materials. "I'll be as quick as I can" she continued, turning to give Shippo a hasty smile as she rushed back out to the hall, "but you'll just have to be patient until I get back! I promise I'll return before the train leaves."

Pacified for the moment, Shippo gave an excited nod and raced back to his marble game, crying out in frustration as he discovered his opponent had taken more than his fair share of turns in Shippo's absence.

"Bye mom! Wish me luck!" Excitement and nerves bubbling up inside her, Kagome flung the wooden front door aside, stepped out into the cool spring morning –

And collided with a very sturdy wall of flesh and fabric.

She stumbled back slightly at the impact, absently noting the sound of a falling box and an ominous, muffled shatter as hands came out to grasp her arms and hold her still.

"Damn Kagome, use your eyes when you walk, would ya?"

Lifting a hand to steady her spinning head and blinking against the sunlight, Kagome saw first his red happi coat, then silver strands of hair falling over his broad shoulders, and finally that amused smirk and dandelion-yellow eyes. "G'morning Inuyasha!" She said cheerily, forgetting for a moment her hurry at the welcome sight of him. "Why're you up so early?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes before responding with a groan "Why y'think? Your gramps got us all up at the crack o' dawn to clear the storehouse and get all the festival supplies out." He paused for a moment at the realization that his hands were still cradling her arms, and hastily let them fall to his sides with a blush, absently scratching at his arm before continuing nonchalantly "Somethin' about everyone graduatin'. I thought that wasn't for a few more days though."

"It isn't, but I'm sure he just wants to get a head start" Kagome responded warmly, not having missed the lingering contact.

"Head start… more like he wants to work us into the ground!" Inuyasha replied with a growl.

Kagome could only grin in satisfaction – for years she and her mother had been the only ones able to help the old man run the shrine, and she was more than happy to pass the burden on to the newest members of the household, who frankly were much better suited to the task. "I'm sure it's nothing you can't handle. And speaking of ground" Kagome said with a smirk, glancing down at the box he'd dropped in his haste to catch her fall, "that's exactly where you're going to find yourself once Grandpa sees you've ruined another box of precious artifacts."

Inuyasha's hand went to scratch nervously at his neck, sweat forming on his brow as he said haltingly "Hey, Kagome… you're late, right? You need a ride to school?"

Trying with all her might to stifle a laugh into her thick sleeve, Kagome managed to say "Why thank you Inuyasha, but are you sure it's not a problem? I mean, I know how much you dislike the smell of town, and all the people, and having your ears squashed, and –"

"Yeah yeah yeah" he said brusquely, cutting her off and pushing past her to grab a slightly tattered black military cap from a hook on the wall, "you ready to go or what?"

She nodded and clambered onto his back as he knelt before her, noticing as she did Miroku approaching through the gate, a large box perched halfway on his shoulder. At the sight of them the monk stopped, his voluminous black sleeves tied back and robes knotted around his knees, a perturbed frown on his face. "Oh not again…" he sighed, setting down his cargo to glare at Inuyasha. "You can't run every time you break something! Without you around to take the blame, I'm left to listen to the old fellow's lecture. I don't want to have to relay it to you _again_! I'm not a scribe!"

"Tough luck, Monk" Inuyasha quipped, tucking his hands under Kagome's thighs and readying to spring away.

Realizing he wouldn't be getting his way, Miroku sighed wearily and in a pleading voice tried "At least come back here _before_ you go to Yokohama? By the time you return this evening, the old man will have forgotten to yell at you."

Smirking as Kagome linked her arms around his neck, Inuyasha said cockily "Great idea Miroku, I'll see ya tonight!" before leaping the length of the yard, setting down on the other side of the fence only to spring again over the top of the shrine.

Miroku watched them go with exasperation, turning to stare at the box of broken items once the half-demon and school girl had left his line of sight.

"What'd he do this time?"

At the female voice behind him, Miroku's face brightened considerably as he faced Sango, two large boxes in her arms which she handled as if they were weightless. "Nothing he hasn't done before" Miroku answered, gesturing at the box on the ground with his thumb, "more broken relics which we'll no doubt hear an entire tragic history on all through dinner."

Sango shared his look of worry before glancing at the box, and in a conspiratorially low voice said "Miroku, does Grandpa Higurashi know yet?"

His eyes wide and smile growing, Miroku said simply "No" and Sango nodded firmly, responding "Good – we'll keep it that way. Grab that box and take it inside with the rest. We'll hide it at the back and I'll have Kohaku take care of it when he gets back from town."

With an enthusiastic nod Miroku did as ordered, careful to not jog the box more than necessary as he carried it inside the house and into a back room, placing it as far in the corner as possible.

* * *

Kagome's breath hitched as Inuyasha leapt over another roof, landing with the utmost care to not jostle her or cause too much noise. They'd already had a few close calls in the past with startled tenants rushing out to investigate the pounding on the roof. Inuyasha was always gone too quickly to be caught, but still; Kagome suggested caution. They didn't have many opportunities for piggy-back rides anymore; the house was busy, the city was busy, and areas of secluded wilderness were disappearing at alarming rates. Tokyo seemed determined to expand, and although Kagome had never thought much of it, now she longed for a bit of forest to explore. Her body jolted as Inuyasha coiled and sprung, and she let out a shaky breath as he crested the peak of the jump, before sailing down in a free-fall which Kagome had stopped fearing long ago. He caught the fall on a wide, sturdy tree limb, which creaked under the force but held firm. One more smaller leap and he was in the overgrown grass of the school yard, shielded in the shadows of the large trees behind the brick building from the view of the students out front.

Disembarking with a laugh, Kagome brushed back her hair and smoothed the pleats on her green hakama before turning her usual grateful smile to her friend. "Thanks Inuyasha! I think I'm actually a little early today!"

He swayed a bit from foot to foot, his posture stiff and a little on edge as he nodded distractedly. Kagome watched him with understanding eyes; he was always tense in the city, even after a few months of living in it. There were so many new smells and sounds which he'd never heard, people he'd never seen the likes of, customs with which he was completely unfamiliar… it was natural he'd feel out of place. The urge to sigh nearly overcame her, but Kagome bravely held back; she knew that Inuyasha _chose_ to come with her, but still… it was hard to see him look so lost. It was just as difficult for him to adjust as she'd predicted it would be, but he was stubborn, and defended his choice to the last. He wasn't unhappy per say, just… uncomfortable. He assured her it would pass.

"So what are your plans?" she asked, smiling to try and ease his obvious nerves.

His golden gaze snapped back to her, and he paused in thought before shrugging and answering "Dunno… can't really go back to the shrine, what with your grandpa on my back…" he looked away with feigned indifference, but Kagome could tell he simply didn't want to be judged when he said too quickly "I'll probably just wait out back here. No sense you walkin' home alone when you don't need to."

Kagome dipped her head to hide a giddy smile at the thought of having him walk her home, as though they were a normal couple like the fancy men and women parading around the square. Then again… they already were a couple, weren't they? They'd never said in so many words, but really… did Inuyasha even know what it meant to _be courting_?

"Well then" Kagome said with a sly smile, squashing down her uncertainties, "I suppose goodbyes are in order!"

The usual goofy grin that comment produced was replaced by the briefest look of panic, and before Kagome had a chance to be confused or offended, Inuyasha had reached forward to hold her arms and bent to softly kiss her lips. Ignoring his previous odd behavior, Kagome took over her part of the 'goodbyes' and pulled lightly on the collar of his red robe. She was careful with the old fabric, but eager for him to stay put. The first stage of 'goodbyes' took longer than normal, and Kagome was the one to move on to the finale, shyly licking his lips to invite him to open up. Inuyasha's hesitance was not lost on the girl in his embrace, but as he didn't stop her, she continued her kissing at a slightly slower pace. It was only another moment before he was just as lost in the kiss as usual, taking over her mouth and allowing Kagome to just enjoy the moment. They never got to kiss like this at home. Between her family and their circus tenants all living on one plot of land, finding a private moment was nearly impossible. These moments under the maple tree were precious to her – to them both.

Just as Kagome was figuring enough was enough and she really should go join the others, her tongue snuck past his lips for a parting taste and unknowingly brushed his fang. At least… it should have been his fang! The violent flinch that accompanied the odd sensation was almost more startling than the unexpected dip in his line of teeth. Pulling back at once, Kagome gave Inuyasha a puzzled look, while he glared back at her with a mix of anger and… was that pain?

"What's up with your tooth?"

Inuyasha scoffed and looked away, even as his palm rubbed at the spot in question through his lip. "Nothin's wrong wid' it."

There was a one second warning look, eerily reminiscent of her mother, before Kagome swooped in. Catching the half-demon by surprise, she grabbed his face and mushed up his lip to find –

"Your fang! _It's gone_!"

Shaking off her invasive hands, Inuyasha assumed a defensive stance as he said tersely "Look it's nothing, alright? It just aches a little."

Kagome couldn't stop her staring, even though the strange cavity where a long, sharp tooth should have been was at the moment hidden from view. "But…" she grasped around for words, not quite knowing what to think, "How?!"

A nonchalant shrug seemed to be the only response she'd get, but as he glanced again at her worried face, Inuyasha slumped and revealed "I don't know what happened. It was gone when I woke up."

"That's it?" Her incredulous tone brought a scowl to his face, but honestly, she couldn't help it. How could his fang just 'disappear'? It wasn't like he shed them! Did… did someone take it? But how could they? How would he not have known!

"It's true! I mean, I almost didn't even notice, what with all the bug bites."

Kagome's stream of questions was cut short by the strange statement. "Bug bites?"

"Yeah, bug bites." He responded angrily, pulling down the hem of his neckline to reveal specks of red dotting his chest. It was a struggle for Kagome to focus on the bites and not the taut tan skin over is muscles, and an even bigger struggle to tear her attention away long enough to understand him as he started speaking again. "They were worse when I woke up. They're all over my arms too, damn pests…."

"But… it's only just starting to be spring! They're usually not this big a problem until summer…." Kagome turned away, partially in thought and partially for distraction as he righted his clothing again.

"It's no big deal. I was a little dizzy when I woke up, but the bites are almost healed, and the tooth is already growin' back. So no harm done."

Kagome marveled silently over the healing power in his demonic blood; not even a few hours, and the fang was already growing back? But she kept her musings to herself, and turned to give him one last smile as she said "Well, if you find out anything else while I'm in class, tell me later, okay?"

He rolled his eyes and she smiled, hugging him briefly but tightly before dashing away to round the brick building, groaning despondently as the school bell began to toll.

* * *

"Where's my Tetsusaiga?"

Kagome looked up from the big yellow basket she was packing, craning her neck to see down the hall in the direction she'd heard Inuyasha's voice come from. "Is it in the storage room?" She called back, sure he would hear, though less sure he'd been asking her in the first place. How would _she_ know where he kept his sword? "Mama," she said distractedly, looking between two jars she held in each hand, "Have you ever been to Yokohama?"

"No, it's always been too far away" her mother answered with a smile, carefully setting slices of cutlet into the lacquer bento cases. "I can't wait to hear all about it!"

"It ain't in there" Inuyasha said tersely as he entered the kitchen, brows drawn and hands on his hips.

Glancing up from her task, Kagome met his irritated face with confusion. "Well I haven't seen it. Did you ask Miroku and Sango?"

He scoffed, his arms crossing over his chest as he ventured further into the room. "The old man's got 'em working. Says they have to make up for the time we're spending out gallivanting." Inuyasha glared at her expectantly, and Kagome fought the urge to roll her eyes.

"Look, I'm sorry about your sword, but I can't help look for it right now! I've got to get these lunches packed, and then we really need to leave! If we miss the train, then that's it! We'll have to wait another week for a good opportunity!" She took a kerchief-wrapped box from her mother and rearranged the basket with a huff. Inuyasha didn't budge from his spot though, and Kagome could feel her annoyance build as his eyes bored holes into the back of her head. "Besides, it's not like you can take your sword on the train!"

"You people just don't get it!" Inuyasha growled, his ire rising as both women continued their packing without a second glance, "What if something goes wrong? What if we're attacked? A broken sword is better than no sword at all! Honestly, after all we've been through, I don't see how you could take this so lightly!"

With a soft sigh Kagome turned to him, mustering an understanding tone as she said "It's not that I'm 'taking this lightly', I just think you're working yourself up for no reason! It's just a day trip to Yokohama – we'll be there for a few hours, and then we'll come right back! Besides," she reached out to fuss with his robe, smoothing out wrinkles and bringing a bright red to his cheeks, "the only danger we'd have to worry about would be from _humans_ , and I'm sure you can handle a few measly humans, right?" She gave him her best smile, inwardly grinning in triumph as his expression turned cocky.

"Fine. If you don't mind me beating up a few humans, we'll do it your way."

"I didn't say you _should_ , Inuyasha," she snapped as he turned her own logic back on her, "I mean if there's trouble. Which there won't be."

A mumbled "whatever" was the only response he gave, but she figured it would be enough for the time being. Turning back to her work, she hefted the bulging basket, grunting in surprise as it fell back to the wood table under its own weight. Kagome barely had a moment to catch her breath before a clawed hand passed in front of her and lifted the basket with ease. She turned to see Inuyasha looking away with disinterest as he said quietly "I thought you said we were in a hurry? Go get the brats and I'll handle this."

"Thanks" she said as she passed, though she knew he didn't need her to say it. He never liked to call attention to his acts of kindness, but she couldn't help acknowledging it. After all, he never gave _himself_ enough credit. "Wait for me outside, we'll be right there!"

He grunted in acknowledgement, and Kagome shared an amused glance with her mother before heading down the hall.

* * *

Steam, burning coal, and the mingling smells of hundreds of people swirled in the air around Inuyasha, threatening a dizzying headache if he didn't find something to focus on fast. Kagome's hand grasping his upper-arm was a welcome distraction, and he wondered if she had realized his unspoken dilemma, but when he looked she was pointing away at a shape in the near distance: a large, black and red machine perched on a lattice of steel. "There's the train, Inuyasha!" He could only nod mutely as he took in the sight. Her city was already so foreign to him, and such a complex fabrication of wood and metal seemed like something from a dream. Not even _demons_ were this strange. Souta was chattering animatedly beside him, clutching his free arm with both hands in a tugging grip which would have been irritating if the half-demon could really feel it. As it was the boy hardly put pressure on his tough skin, so he let him be. Glancing down beside Kagome, Inuyasha noticed Shippo sporting a look which he was sure mirrored his own: awe, with a hint of trepidation. The unknown was always unnerving, though the allure of the giant metal monster to those who had never seen one could not be denied. People in dark coats and heavy dresses stepped up into the wooden carriages behind the metal head, excited smiles adorning their faces with none of the anxiety he was experiencing. The upbeat chatter and pleasant atmosphere of the train station challenged his worries, and Inuyasha was hard pressed not to grin like the boy holding his arm when it came their turn to board. Kagome led him to a carved wooden bench inside, laid out across the car in short rows framing the open windows. He had thought she'd take a seat beside him, but instead she took the opposite spot, staring up into his face with eager hopefulness.

"Isn't this exciting?" She asked breathily, distracting the half-demon with wide, glittering eyes, but he managed a nod and it seemed to be enough. Inuyasha fidgeted on the wooden chair, stretching his legs out slightly to gage his room. Even sitting up straight, his knees were knocking with hers. Minor adjustments only made it worse, and when they ended up with her knees sandwiched between his, he gave up with a blush and sat sideways, propping his sandaled feet on the seat and leaning against the wall. He wouldn't have shared his bench anyways.

Souta and Shippo rushed about the cabin, flitting from window to window to get the best view until more guests filtered into their car and claimed the empty seats. The humans in foreign outfits gave him passing glances of curiosity, then returned quickly to their private conversations. These Westerners were strange, and their jarring languages unpleasant to hear, but their gawking was harmless. After spending most of his life in a cage, Inuyasha was used to hate-filled scrutiny, but the way these fair-skinned men and women with wheat-colored hair looked at him as though he were a fancy kimono in a shop display….

He glanced across at Kagome, her black hair falling over her shoulders as she leaned out the window with a laugh, and not for the first time he felt a wave of appreciation sweep through him. Kagome never saw him as anything but a person. Even though he'd caught her staring more times than he could count, it was never so objective. She stared at him and inside him and through him, searching his very soul without apology. He knew because he did the same to her. And sometimes when he'd catch her, a flush would rise on her cheeks and she'd turn away as though she hadn't already uncovered every secret part of him. And he'd feign annoyance at her just because there was no other way to respond.

Boyish laughter drew his attention, as it seemed Souta and Shippo had found new friends in two young boys whose stern-faced mother watched from a few benches away. The woman's eyes turned on him for the briefest moment, narrowing in a way that he'd seen all too often, before turning her nose up snootily. Inuyasha knew better than to growl at her, but the temptation was strong. While the foreign visitors treated him as spectator-sport, the reactions of his country-men were almost as hostile as the demons. Kagome had tried to explain it to him once, how his looks were unusual even among the foreigners, and certainly for a native Japanese man. She had told him that since the Samurai class had been disbanded, long hair such as his was like a slap in the face of progress, and everyone who was anyone had cut their top-knots to fit in with the new Western ways, but neither she nor Inuyasha had any desire to cut his. Paired with her father's old military cap and his mother's work coat, he made for quite the confusing spectacle, and the people of Kagome's town didn't seem to appreciate him standing out. He'd learned to ignore it though.

"But aren't you going to the circus?"

Twin dog-ears swiveled sharply under the heavy black cap as alarms blared in the half-demon's skull. He'd been tuning out of the boy's chatter, but there was no way in _hell_ that he could ignore _that_ word.

"What? You mean there's a circus in Yokohama?" Souta asked with obvious excitement, his countenance brightening further with the other boy's nod. "Shippo, we should go!"

The disguised fox-demon was less enthusiastic, but there was unmistakable curiosity in his eyes as he asked the other boys "You've already been? And you got away?"

Their new friends shared matching frowns for a moment before answering "What'ya mean? Mother made us leave, but I guess I wouldn't have minded staying longer. They open in the afternoon, then have a show or two at night, and then they close for the day." His brother added with a slight whine "Mother wouldn't let us stay for the night show – said it would be too scary. We're not babies!"

"Kentaro!" The mother's snapping tone had the boys cowering for only a moment, but as soon as her attention was turned back to the window, they stuck their tongues at her mockingly.

"So…" Souta's small hands were grasping the edge of his navy-colored school coat as though it could keep him from spewing all of the questions riding the tip of his tongue, "what kinds of things do they do at this circus?"

"Anything you could imagine!" the older brother said with delight, "there's seven performers, and they've been all over the world! They breathe fire, and swallow swords, and one can lift giant weights over his head like It's nothing!"

"And then there's the really big guy who'll eat anything – he even eats animals! Alive! Mother wouldn't let us watch him… or the hypnotist!"

Both Shippo and Souta were locked onto every word, childlike wonder covering every inch of their faces as they tried to picture the astounding circus acts.

Inuyasha watched the small group with a deepening frown, wanting to beat some sense into the boys for even entertaining the idea of visiting a circus. Circuses were nothing but trouble. He and Kagome hadn't told Souta the details of their time in the demon circus, and little Shippo had avoided any mention of it, preferring to pretend it never happened. Even Kagome's mother and grandfather were only told the most general story, neither pushing for more information. Inuyasha guessed sharing their home with demons and half-demons was as much as they could handle.

Watching the boys continue their hype, reenacting as best they could the acts which they could remember, Inuyasha couldn't deny the spark of excitement he saw lighting the faces of the two boys. Even in Shippo, who'd already seen too much evil in his short life, there was an innocence that he couldn't bear to see go away. He felt a stare, this one familiar, and turned slightly to meet Kagome's anxious eyes. So, she'd heard the brats too. They gazed at each other, silently contemplating what they'd overheard. Kagome's expression said it all: she wasn't comfortable with the idea of a circus, for herself and for him as well, but if they asked… if Souta and Shippo asked to go… she wouldn't have the heart to deny them. Reading her conviction, Inuyasha sighed, closing his eyes against the distracting emotions of his companions. Since when did he care so much what everyone else wanted? He sure as hell didn't want to see another circus any time soon. Why should he give in when he knew circuses better than any of them? 'It's not a demon circus though' his head reminded him, 'they're just humans. There's nothing to be afraid of.' Souta, Shippo and the boys broke into laughs again, and Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably at the carefree sound. They weren't afraid. And neither was he. He wouldn't let some measly human circus spook him into ruining their trip. Even without his sword, he didn't need to worry. Judging by the shining smiles Souta and Shippo wore as they day-dreamed of acrobats and fire-wielders, it would be worth it to cave… just this once.

"Hey" Inuyasha said sharply, pulling all four boys from their conversation, and Kagome as well. "When we get to Yokohama…" his yellow eyes turned from the attentive young faces to meet Kagome's curious gaze, and he didn't break that contact for a moment as he continued "what do you say we stop by this circus?"

Kagome's eyes widened incredulously, but Inuyasha didn't say a word more, only stared back intently. He was asking her permission; it was as much her decision as his. After all, she'd suffered in Naraku's circus too. After a silent exchange between dark and light gazes, a slight smile tugged at Kagome's lips. That was really all the answer he needed, but he didn't mind when she reached out to grasp his clawed hand as well.

* * *

Yokohama stunk. The aroma of salt and fish and too many humans filled the sea-port, and the surrounding mountains trapped every nuanced stench in an encompassing ring. Kagome had pinched her nose for only a second as they'd stepped into the open square, but soon her less-sensitive nose was overpowered by the view of the crashing blue waves and endless sky. Even Inuyasha could admit that the view was amazing. That didn't make the place smell any better.

At Kagome's insistence they'd eaten their picnic on the beach, Souta and Shippo chasing each other through the sand as Inuyasha tried to ignore the additional grit on his food and the weight of Kagome against his side. It wasn't that he would have her move, he just… well, there were people around! It was a windless day and the sun overhead was unhindered by clouds, but the spray from the sea kept it from being too unpleasant. Inuyasha kept his grousing to a minimum; they'd been planning this trip for a while, and Kagome seemed determined to enjoy it. She and the boys were resolutely ignoring his complaints anyways.

When the hungry boys had been filled and the basket was light enough for even Shippo to carry, they ventured through the main town, Kagome perusing through shops as Inuyasha tried (and failed) to rally the rambunctious duo. Dodging men in top-hats and lacy parasols, the half-demon finally caught up to the boys as they halted near the fish market, nearly knocking over a bucket of sea urchin in his haste. Grabbing both boys by the collars, he towed them back to where he'd last seen Kagome. By the time they reunited she'd filled their empty lunch basket with trinkets and had directions to the new circus just outside the town. It was called 'Shishi Fukujin Circus', and nearly everyone in town had already been to the show.

'Shishi Fukujin: The Seven Lucky Gods. What a load of crap.' Inuyasha's snide thoughts sat plainly displayed on his face as he eyed the circus entryway, emblazoned with the pompous title. He'd barely taken two steps under the circus arch when he decided that either the townspeople were all idiots or it was some big joke. All that worry… over this?

Biting yellow eyes took stock of the human circus and found it severely lacking. A few local vendors had set up booths just inside the compound, offering goldfish-catching and decorative masks that could have been found at any festival. A small courtyard of empty western-styled tables sat further in, surrounded by food vendors and creating a muffled atmosphere of smells he couldn't quite identify. Above the din of human conversation rang out a horrid musical cacophony, which Inuyasha soon pinned to a large wooden box next to an older man with a round belly, cropped white hair and moustache accenting his wrinkles. His gnarled old hand systematically turned a wrench, and the sound which resembled lute-playing but not nearly as nice tumbled out of the slots in the face of the wooden machine. The strange tune was no doubt meant to create an air of whimsy, but all it did for the half-demon was set him on edge. Workers wandered to and fro among the crowd in bright and blaring getups which easily set them apart, as did their foreign looks. There was no sign of a ringmaster yet, but they still hadn't reached the center tent.

Souta and Shippo rushed from booth to booth, exuberant as they took in the sights, but Inuyasha remained unimpressed. As evil as Naraku had been, he knew how to draw a crowd. Theatrics had always been his strong point, and the demons under him spared no expense in making their circus alluring and grand. The same could not be said for these humans. Every pole and tent was of the most practical fabric, sometimes painted gaudy colors, some simply weather-stained. Everything in the compound gave off a strong scent of salt, and Inuyasha could only guess that the circus spent most of its time travelling by sea. There was a definite feel of transience about the whole place.

"Simple" Kagome commented, one hand holding onto her yellow basket, the other wrapped loosely around the black leather of Inuyasha's sleeve. "They're not too worried about impressing anyone, are they?"

"They must be pretty confident about their acts" Inuyasha responded gruffly; something about it all rubbed him the wrong way. Maybe it was all in his head, but the circus around him seemed too arrogant; as if its reputation was so great that it needn't bother with a well-groomed façade. For all he knew it could have been well-earned pride, but somehow he doubted it. If it was, they would just have to prove him wrong.

Both Souta and Shippo came rushing back to them through the crowd, each tugging at an arm of one adult guardian to bring them further into the throng. Inuyasha was in no hurry to join the mass of suits and bustles, but he couldn't say no to the young faces that looked up at him so warmly. Every smile of theirs reminded him of a smile he never wore, and he was determined to keep it that way. The boys were brats more often than not, but… at the end of the day, they weren't so bad.

They reached the center of the circus grounds to find not a tent, but a stage. It was wide and spacious and high off the ground, flocked by curtained passageways to either side and lined with curtains in the back, and a crowd had gathered impatiently in the surrounding yard. It was late in the afternoon already, and although the sun had already begun its descent, it beat down on the assembly mercilessly as both men and women drew out decorative fans and umbrellas to evade the heat. Inuyasha scoffed at the obvious oversight on the part of their hosts. If the circus cared about their guests at all, there'd at least be a canopy.

Their small group stood near the back of the crowd, and at little Shippo's frustrated hopping to see higher, Kagome quickly scooped him up into her arms. Souta turned hopeful eyes on the half-demon, and despite the answering glower did not give up. The boy had evidently learned stubbornness from his sister, and Inuyasha found himself hoisting the young Higurashi onto his back before he even realized what he was doing. He'd teach the kid a lesson later for being so demanding all the time.

Suddenly the strange pipe-music stopped, and the crowd fell into whispering. The double beat of a Taiko drum rang through the salty sea-air, and as if summoned, low clouds of smoke crept from the curtained sides of the stage towards the middle. For the first time since their arrival, Inuyasha found himself paying attention. The smoke billowed up to fill the stage, and then in a strange reversal of the elements, the cloud was consumed in a wall of fire which spread from the bottom of the stage to disappear with a puff at the top of the curtain poles. His companions gasped along with the audience at the sight, and Inuyasha felt his pulse pick up speed. Just how did a cloud catch fire?

The spectacle created the perfect distraction for the arrival of a man on the stage, uncoiling from a crouch as though born of the flames like a phoenix. He was tall, and despite his strong male physique, he wore a ladies dress, the skirt drawn up at one hip and a lace collar surrounding his throat. It wasn't the only thing surrounding him, as what had first appeared to be a thick scarf moved and slid across his frame, and Inuyasha realized before the captivated audience did that it was a large white snake he had draped about his shoulders. From beneath dark bangs a painted face looked over the crowd, vertical stripes on his cheeks crinkling as his mouth turned up in a devilish smile. Inuyasha flinched at his eyes; they were wide, sharp, and intently focused on the crowd, drinking in the faces near the stage with far too much delight. From the impressed utterances and outbreak of clapping however, Inuyasha guessed he had been the only one to notice.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome" the man's high tenor echoed loudly out of the stage, and heedless of the dangerous animal he sported as a shawl, he raised his hands into the air and finished with glee "to the Seven Lucky God's Circus!"

The applause was now joined by a few shouts in obvious approval of the introduction. The man raised his hands, and quiet fell back over the assembly. "Tonight, you will witness feats of death and daring, see the unbelievable, witness the incredible, and transcend this feeble world as the Seven Lucky Gods take you on a journey to the world beyond!"

The crowd erupted into even louder acclaim this time, the man not bothering to bow as he soaked in their excitement. "First" he shouted, throwing the crowd into silence once again, "you shall meet the Gods themselves, each showing but a glimpse of his true power! Then, you shall be treated to a display of monsters and marvels from around the world, the likes of which you will assuredly never see anywhere else! Your Gods shall then return to amaze and shock with their divine strength and skill! Truly, there is no greater show on Earth, than the Seven Lucky Gods!"

At the crescendo note in his voice the assembly went wild, their anticipation eating away at propriety as they shouted and yelled for more. Inuyasha glanced beside him at Kagome, whose expression looked no less anxious than his own. It was all too reminiscent of the demons that once surrounded his own caged form, and neither liked it.

The snake which had been coiled lazily around the dressed-up man rose suddenly from his shoulders and lunged with gaping jaws at the nearest guests, eliciting several screams and shocked gasps from those not even close by. The man grinned too widely as silence was once again instilled in the group. "My name" he started proudly, "is Benzaiten, god of beauty. I excel at music and grace and outshine all, but be warned," long fingers wrapped around the tail of the snake as he finished with a grin "I've been known to bite", and with a flick of his wrist it was no longer a snake, but a chain of blades which swung high into the air before coiling back into the white animal that had so submissively wrapped around the announcer's body. The crowd could not contain their shock as a hum of sound swept over them, and Inuyasha turned sharply to meet Kagome's disbelieving eyes, both of them thinking 'that was no trick.'

"This next deity is larger than life" Benzaiten continued, as though he hadn't just transformed a live animal into cutlery. "He is Ebisu: a god of prosperity, with a love of food." The stage rattled as something approached from the back, and the curtain was swept aside by a giant hand as a dark man over 10 feet tall lumbered onto the creaking wooden stage. His mouth was impossibly wide and full of sharp teeth, his blood-shot eyes scouring the crowd as if looking for his next meal "There's nothing this god won't eat, and that's no exaggeration." The giant reached through the side curtain and extracted a thick wooden beam. Sounds of splintering wood filled the shocked silence as he bit into the beam with gusto, hardly bothering to chew as he devoured the once sturdy material. Souta made a gagging sound at his back, and Inuyasha almost did the same. And people thought _he_ was a freak.

The giant exited the other side of the stage with a deep, gargling laugh, and Benzaiten waved him off before turning back to the crowd. "Wise and crafty, this hermit-god is a master of potions – his powers are so great, he can even bring the dead to life! Here's Fukurokuju!" A volley of pops rang out over the stage as bursts of colored powder erupted from the projectiles. Through the multicolored mess a small figure rushed forward, his simple white robes mottled by the clouds of dust. With a grin he pulled a small bone from a fold of his robe and threw it on the hard wood of the stage for all to see. Another pellet was tossed toward it, and from the eruption of black a large, squawking chicken emerged with a flutter. The crowd laughed and gasped at the 'magic trick', and even Shippo and Souta were grinning as the bug-eyed man smiled widely and bowed off stage.

As the colored dust settled, Benzaiten stepped away from the wall where he'd been leaning and took his place back at center stage, patting away patches of orange and blue from his lavender skirt. "Messy, isn't he?" the performer quipped, and the enamored audience laughed on cue. "Our next god is quite the charmer, but don't be fooled by his friendly smile!" Benzaiten stepped away again as a smiling, brown-haired man walked through the back curtain, his fashionable high-collared shirt and gentlemen's trousers making it seem as though he'd just stepped from the crowd. "Meet Daikokuten, a god of fortune as well as a skilled hunter of demons. We're never quite sure what he'll do next!" With an enraged roar the man's civilized demeanor vanished as he whirled. There was barely a moment where the audience could view the god holding three long knives before they were no longer in his hand but protruding from the wood post beside Benzaiten's head. The self-proclaimed god of beauty didn't move a hair as he smirked across at the god in western clothes, now sporting green tattoos around his grinning face where before there had most assuredly been none.

Inuyasha's guard went up at the look that passed between them. He'd smelled blood right before the man's apparent transformation, but could not pinpoint the source. There was something wrong about them all: they weren't demons, they were human. And yet… what kind of humans had such strange abilities? The eager circus-goers again broke into raucous applause at the stunt, and Daikokuten left the stage with an expression so full of suppressed malice that Inuyasha was reaching for his sword before he realized it wasn't there. His panicking thoughts were distracted momentarily by the sound wheels and scraping metal, and a smell that instantly reminded him of the coal-burning train they'd arrived on. Coming up from behind the stage curtain was a plume of steam to match, and it was steadily growing bigger.

"This god is a friend to all, a patron of the down-trodden. Here is Hotei, the smiling god!" The curtains behind the announcer were drawn and a machine rolled up from the back, filling the stage with the sounds of steam and metal. The crowd exclaimed in awe and Inuyasha in expletives as before them all a conglomeration of man and machine sat grinning. Iron carriage wheels supported a black metal frame which looked almost identical to the train from Tokyo. However, the western styled passenger train did not also sport the living, breathing head, shoulders, and torso of a very large man with metal patches fused into his very skin. His famed smile was made of a steel trap and the distinction between his body and the engine was indiscernible. Kagome's hand rose to her mouth as she took in the full extent of the circus performer's modifications, and Inuyasha found himself seriously regretting their decision to ever give circuses a second chance.

The slow descent of the machine-man back down the ramp of the stage was interrupted by sudden plumes of fire from offstage. Awe-filled gasps took the place of the previous horrified ones as a tall man in a military uniform and bandana strolled up behind the fire. As Benzaiten took up his former place as announcer, the stern-faced man behind him casually juggled the flaming clubs in his hands as though they were sacks of rice. "Meet Juroujin, god of long-life. As you can see, he is immune to harm or death!" Flicking his wrists, Juroujin extinguished the torches and threw them through the curtains. Reaching for a flask at his belt, he took a quick swig, and with only the slightest intake of breath exhaled a plume of fire high over the heads of the crowd which reached all the way back to Inuyasha's group. There were screams and a few singed parasols, but the impressive maneuver was followed by some of the loudest applause yet as the crowd surged on the rush of adrenaline. The fire-breathing god simply turned on his heel and marched back through the drapery without ever meeting a single glance.

"And now" Benzaiten exclaimed, his voice deeper than before and dripping with anticipation, "the leader of the Seven Lucky Gods, the most powerful and most feared god of all! God of battle and war, bringer of death and granter of success, with the strength of a hundred men and the courage of a thousand… the Great God Bishamonten!" A young man burst through the curtain then, carrying himself with all the pride and arrogance of an emperor. He wore the robes of a Feudal Lord in white and deep blue, and over one shoulder he carried a massive barbell, heavily weighted on either side. He looked young, hardly out of his teenage years, with midnight black hair pulled into a long, thick braid behind him. With a smug grin he spun the massive weight over his head, effortlessly transferring it to his other hand before dropping it with a deafening thud to the stage floor. It rolled toward the edge of the wood platform, and the crowd tripped over themselves to escape its path as it dropped over the side and settled into the hard dirt with a resounding thud.

As the crowd erupted into cheering, Bishamonten refused to bow, his hands on his hips in the very image of a god ruling over his servants. Inuyasha felt a growl build in his throat at the young punk's audacity. He sincerely hoped these human saps weren't as impressionable as they seemed. If they for one second thought these performers were anything more than human, they were fools. Strange abilities or not, there was nothing 'divine' about any of them. He might have suspected demons were it not for the lack of aura, but even then, their so-called 'skills' were nothing he couldn't handle. Not that he had any intention to. "C'mon" he said gruffly, hoisting Souta a little higher on his back and nudging Kagome with his elbow, "let's get outta this dump while we still can."

"But Inuyasha," Souta began imploringly, "don't you wanna see the monsters?"

"Didn't we?" he responded snidely, rolling his eyes when Kagome said his name in a warning tone. "You honestly think it could get weirder than that?" His incredulous tone was met with silence, and he couldn't keep from muttering under his breath "and to think _I_ was the one locked in a cage."

"Why don't we stay just a few minutes more and find out?" Shippo asked, and Souta nodded his agreement with enthusiasm.

"You can't be serious!" the half-demon exclaimed, but it seemed even Kagome was against him on this.

"A couple more minutes won't hurt" she said softly, her eyes darting back to the stage where the strongman had just left amid lingering applause. "Besides, the train won't leave for another hour, so we might as well see the rest of the show."

Inuyasha couldn't believe it! He was sure she'd been as uncomfortable during the odd displays as he had been, and yet it seemed she and the brats and the whole rest of the crowd had been caught by some morbid fascination that insisted they see things through to the gruesome end. Growling angrily, he turned back to face the stage, stewing under the assertion that he was right and they'd all regret not listening to him later. He wasn't above giving them each a hearty "I told you so" when they woke up next morning from livid nightmares.

Benzaiten was at center-stage once again as the guests before him waited in silent anticipation. Two large torches had been lit at the four corners of the space, as the sun was nearing its death behind the far expanse of blue sea. "We know you are eager to see the gods perform" the man said, stroking the snake around his shoulders, "but the sun is about to set, and we would not want to deprive such a lovely audience the chance to see one of the great mysteries of the world in action." The was a rustling of heavy chains behind the back wall, and from between the curtains stepped a well-mannered man with dark hair, wide hakama and a loose-fitting juban accented by heavy metal shackles and trailing chains. He looked out across the audience with a blank, lifeless stare, and the desire to leave immediately fled Inuyasha's mind. Something was wrong. Something was very, _very_ wrong.

"We lucky gods have travelled the world" Benzaiten said with flourish, wholly ignoring the newest addition to the stage, "and in our travels we have encountered beasts beyond description; the creatures of legend that men no longer dare believe in!" A frilled sleeve rose to point at the disappearing sun, and his voice rose in fervor as he said "At the setting sun you shall witness the transformation of a simple man, into one of the most feared monsters in all the western world: The Werebeast!"

With perfect timing the last rays of natural light slipped beneath the horizon, and with a groan the man on stage doubled over, his form not shrinking as he fell but growing. The sound of ripping cloth and the hiss of whispering guests provided the backdrop for a transformation that was truly horrifying, as the man tripled in size, his tan skin becoming leathery blue as fur sprouted across a newly formed muzzle crowned with black and twisted horns.

Inuyasha felt Kagome's heat burning his side as she all but fell against him, her open shock speaking for both of them. _This_ was a demon. He could feel the inky black of its aura seeping through to meet his, and he knew Kagome felt it too. By the way Shippo's hair bristled and stood on edge, he guessed they weren't the only ones picking up on it. A tremored shaking at his back reminded him that Souta had never seen a demon such as this, and instinctively he calmed himself, tightening his grip on the boy and whispering back "It's alright kid. I got ya."

Benzaiten was saying something more now as the giant demon was carefully led off the stage, still in a strangely docile state despite a piteous roar which had goosebumps rising all over the half-demon's flesh. A cage was wheeled on after him, and Inuyasha's throat constricted as yet another demonic aura swept over him, though it was much weaker, and tinged by a strange smell. It was a vampire according to the fake god, a creature of nightmares in Eastern Europe, who drank blood and thrived in the night. But when the curtain was pulled from the wooden cage, it was nothing more than a young girl, her dark skin and lilac-white hair lit red by a glowing crystal grasped between her small hands. The black robe covering her small frame was meant to heighten her mystique, her wickedness, but to Inuyasha's yellow eyes it only made her features seem softer in comparison. The crowd did not agree however, and cowered in fear at her presence, wholly won over by the theatrical performance of the self-proclaimed deity above them on the platform.

It was a mercy when they finally rolled her cage away, but the next 'monster' was hardly better. Inuyasha no longer cared what the freakish announcer had to say, but he caught the word 'Ogre' as another giant came lumbering onto the creaking wood. Unlike the gluttonous god Ebisu, this giant seemed like the real human. Oversized arms hung down to the ground, his hunched form almost submissive as round, bulging blue eyes glanced furtively at the horrified crowd and back to his feet. There was a weak demon aura again, and a demonic scent rising through the salt, but… Inuyasha would be damned if that wasn't a human scent mingled in there as well. Realization seeped into his bones, and rage built up in him which he'd not felt in a blissful few months since winter began. A shock leapt harmlessly over his skin, and he realized that the woman beside him was just as furious, if not more so.

The human crowd before them was caught up in the tales woven by the circus performer, never once questioning the claims that these were monsters from other lands; not even when a mere boy was led on stage, his feet clicking against the ground like hooves, dressed in dark furs to match his brown skin as curled ram's horns sprouted beneath short lavender hair. Inuyasha cursed the crowd over and over in his mind for how they could believe such a child to be a 'satyr' or whatever the bastard in a dress claimed. But then… if they knew the truth, their opinions would likely be much worse.

One last creature: that was Benzaiten's promise. The audience changed their revulsions to 'oohs' and 'aahs' as a tank was wheeled onto stage, in which a fabled mermaid had been caught. The light of the fires caught on a fish-scale tail, reflecting a dazzling array of light over the mystified faces of the guests. Only Kagome's hand gripping his in a vice kept Inuyasha from marching up the stage and taking the heads off of all these fake gods. 'Damn them all to hell' he thought viciously, his fangs bared as he let loose a growl, 'that's just a kid. That's a damn little girl in there.' The fish scales were not her own, but the webbed ears and hands were. She breathed under the water as though she belonged there, but her body made no other move. Eyes as dull and blank as every other paraded 'monster' stared out through the glass of her enclosure, and Inuyasha's blood froze when they landed on his. They lingered no more than a second before travelling on, but that moment was more than enough for resolve to settle in Inuyasha's gut like a rock.

He'd always wondered if there were others like him, and where they were, and what they were doing. How had other half-demons managed in life? Now he knew. Apparently all half-demons were destined to be freak-show fodder.

"Come on boys, time to go." The choked tone of her voice caught Inuyasha's attention, and he turned to see tears running down Kagome's face, though her expression remained stern. Grabbing her basket in one arm and Shippo in the other, she sent her companion an expectant frown which left no room for discussion, and he followed after without a word as Souta clung shaking to his back. 'That's right Kagome' he thought gratefully, 'get the kids outta here. You won't wanna see the blood bath.' They passed under the main arch in much less time than it had taken them to enter, and Inuyasha matched Kagome's fevered pace as she led them back to the train station. 'Only one of us needs to stay.'

* * *

*Author's Note:

I finally did it! I started the sequel! Starting is usually the hardest part for me, but here's hoping that I'm able to keep my momentum going! A big thanks to everyone who's been following since I started FA, and for those just joining us, welcome aboard the pain train! :3 There will be fluff and it will get better, but come on: it's the circus we're dealing with.

And for anyone freaking out right now, don't worry: Kagome's full of surprises.

Also, don't let the names fool you. Those seven freaky dudes are exactly who you think they are.


	2. Arrangements

~Freak Attraction: Seven-Man Circus~

Chapter Two: Arrangements

* * *

"Where are you going?"

Thin fingers grasped the edge of the shoji door, poised to pull it open before a stern voice stopped the figure in her tracks. "Out" was the curt reply, but Kagura knew better than to continue what she was doing without giving him a chance to respond.

"You're ignoring my advice."

Kagura grit her teeth at the Demon Lord's condescending tone. So she didn't fall at his feet like every other demon in this place; he wasn't her lord. She was a guest, and nothing more. Where she went and when she left were none of his concern, much less any of his business. "Worried about me, are you?" She asked teasingly, hoping to throw his mood enough for him to leave her be.

But Lord Sesshomaru was unflappable.

"I have no desire to lure the kind of riff-raff you associate with to my lands." His icy tone did little to rile the wind-demon who was now used to his mannerisms. "Either you stay here behind my protective barriers, or you leave and fend for yourself. This is your decision Kagura, but remember: I'm not responsible for you."

It was said so clearly and so casually that anyone else would have accepted the dog-demon's excuse. But Kagura knew better; the fact that he had even bothered to come and confront her, when he knew full well that she remembered their terms, spoke volumes.

The wind-sorceress crossed her arms, the rich fabrics of her new kimono rubbing against her fingertips and reminding her of her host's generosity. It was annoying really. "You don't honestly think they'll be looking for me, do you? I'm a disgrace to them. I ran away." Her teeth clicked as she added snidely "As if you don't remind me of that daily."

"Then I needn't remind you again" he continued, in a voice which would have lesser demons cowering, "that the ties which linked you and your former master remain."

"He's dead" she responded flatly, and her fingers once more grasped the door to pull it aside with the softest of scrapes, "I felt his presence leave my mind after I escaped. The only reason I came here" her voice rose slightly as she turned a glare on him, "was because you happened to be right about the half-breed." The sliding door hit the opposite frame as Kagura stepped boldly over the threshold, her eyes still daringly locked with Sesshomaru's. "If this is the extent of your wise advice however, I don't think I'm interested."

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly before he turned away without a sound, his voice rising over his shoulder as he said "Do as you wish. But before you act hastily, Wind-Sorceress, I would ask yourself what price you're willing to pay for your freedom."

Only the softest rustle of cloth accompanied his departure, the long fur over his shoulder flowing behind him like a ghost as he left. Kagura watched him with blazing red eyes, her fingers twitching with the absence of her fan, reminding her that in this palace she was weaponless… powerless. Sesshomaru's words echoed in her mind in cool tones, and she wondered if the 'freedom' he'd referred to was from Naraku or from himself.

* * *

"Souta, listen" Kagome knelt down beside her brother whose red eyes welled with tears he refused to shed. Inuyasha couldn't help admiring the kid. "Do you remember the way home from the train station?" Souta's quivering lip froze as confusion took the place of his shock, and seeing his uncertainty, Kagome plowed on "Could you make it back home from the train station on your own?"

His wide eyes grew distressed as he repeated faintly "on my…."

"Shippo will be with you" Kagome said hurriedly, gripping his shoulders firmly and keeping his eyes trained on hers, "I need to know if you two will be alright getting home by yourselves."

"No."

Souta and Shippo flinched at the half-demon's harsh tone, but Kagome looked at him with only slight annoyance. "No way in hell are you staying here. You're going back with them."

"Oh really, Inuyasha" she said sardonically, even as she leaned over to hug each boy and kiss them gently atop their heads. A long, shrill whistle sounded from the train beside them as the engine boiler let off steam. The train was ready to leave. She stood and faced him with bold defiance, her hands on her hips and eyes full of fire. "I'm not leaving you here to handle this on your own. You'll need my help."

His growl rose up over the roar of the engine fire, his patience hanging by a thread. They didn't have time for this! "The only help I need is for you three to get outta my hair so I can handle this! Damn lotta good you'll be here."

The slight twitching of her brow should have been enough indication that he was treading dangerous ground, but he refused to back down. "Just go home. You'll only get in my way here."

The train sputtered and creaked as it prepared to move, and Kagome broke their heated eye-contact to turn and yell to the boys "quickly, get on the train!" They obeyed without hesitation, clambering aboard the nearest car as it started to move. Kagome breathed a sigh of relief, but that sigh turned into a yelp of surprise as she was suddenly hoisted over a broad shoulder and carried toward the open doorway through which the boys had just climbed. She beat on his back with her fists, pulled at his white hair, and nearly knocked off his hat before Inuyasha managed to deposit her on the wooden floor of the train car, shoving her yellow basket in behind her. He stormed away from her furious shouts, back to the square where people were starting gawk at him. Whistles from the steam pipes filled the air and Kagome's tirade ceased as the train began to pull away. Inuyasha's ears drooped under his hat as he tried to ignore the guilt over what he'd done. He didn't want to send her away; there was just no other option. He didn't know what he was going to do yet about the circus, and whatever course of action he chose would likely put her in danger. He couldn't live with himself if she got hurt because of him… again.

A crashing thud made its way to his covered ears from the direction of the parting train, and a few startled cries of onlookers had him turning piercing eyes back behind him just in time to see Kagome's yellow basket rolling about in the gravel beside the tracks, its contents spilling from beneath the patterned cloth cover. Even as the basket was still settling, a figure in green and white stepped into the train doorway. Inuyasha's heart caught in his throat, and he was already running by the time she jumped from the slow-moving train. Deftly, the young girl tucked her body and rolled softly in the gravel and dirt, standing shakily after only a moment and brushing off her clothes. Inuyasha reached her moments after she'd first fallen, but stopped just short and stood uselessly to the side as she gathered herself. Part of him couldn't believe she'd done it; another part cursed for not having expected it.

Her stubborn eyes met his, bright and alive, and Inuyasha felt his anger melting in relief. It wasn't gone completely though. "Don't you _ever_ " he growled out fiercely, his figure tall and imposing as he advanced on the black-haired girl "pull a stunt like that again."

She was completely unfazed by his snarling expression as she stepped right up to him and got in his face, saying without a hint of apology "Don't _you_ ever send me away again." He was left sputtering as she side-stepped him, carefully examining her somewhat worse-for-wear basket and replacing the fallen items which were now all they had.

* * *

Night had fallen deeply over the town by the time the train pulled back into Tokyo. The street lamps lit the square well enough, but as the two boys headed off to the shrine, the low light of the moon was their only guide. Once the few stragglers had cleared the streets, Shippo transformed into a lantern (a little more round and pink than was normal) which allowed for a hasty return home. The little fox-demon had tried to comfort his human friend on their journey home, but there was still a haunted look in Souta's eyes which was likely to remain for a while. Perhaps his mother would know what to do. Souta was breathing hard by the time he cleared the shrine steps, and as his mother slid open the front door with a smile, he fell against her knees, gasping.

Her expectant smile changed to panic, and soon the entire household had joined them in the entryway at her frantic cries and questions. Grandpa rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he held onto Kohaku's supportive arm. Miroku and Sango were quick to assess the situation and the notable absence of the girl and the half-demon who should have arrived as well. Avoiding everyone's gaze, Shippo's emerald eyes flooded with tears as he tried to explain what had happened. His breath hitched as he reached the end of the tale and dutifully relayed Kagome's parting words to them. She and Inuyasha were staying to free the half-demons. They were going to find out who those 'gods' really were, and how they'd managed to capture their 'freaks'. Sango and Miroku were to take tomorrow's train and scope out the city, but were not to try and make contact just yet. And most importantly… Mama was not to worry, because she had Inuyasha by her side, and he would look after her.

Mrs. Higurashi met every word with surprising composure, rubbing soothing circles on her son's back as his shaking died down.

Shippo stood to the side, his gaze on the wood platform by the door and tiny hands fiddling with his short blue coat. He had long since given up his human disguise, and his auburn tail which was usually puffed up now dragged sullenly against the floor. "I'm sorry" he said in a shaking little voice, "it's my fault… after the demon circus, I should have known better. I could tell Inuyasha didn't want to go… he wanted to leave after the first few acts… but I said we should stay a little longer."

"No, it was me" Souta said softly, leaning back from his mother's embrace to look sadly at his small friend, "I talked you into it in the first place. I shouldn't have…"

"Boys," Mrs. Higurashi said sternly, and Souta and Shippo both turned to her with eyes downcast in shame. A sad smile grew slowly across her face, never quite reaching her eyes as she said with conviction "Neither of you are to blame. Kagome and Inuyasha could have taken you both away at any minute."

The little faces which had briefly been lit with hopeful relief filled with quick regret as each rushed to defend their role models. "Kagome only wanted us to be happy!" "Inuyasha too! It was only because _we_ wanted to that he agreed!"

Shaking her head and smiling slightly wider, Mrs. Higurashi opened an arm to beckon Shippo into her hug. The kit took a few tentative steps forward before barreling into her warmth, and she held them both to her tightly as she said "I don't blame _them_ either. It may be hard to understand now, but I think this is something they have to do. Inuyasha could never turn his back on such a horrible situation, especially when it involves other half-demons. And Souta, don't you know your sister? You think she'd sit off to the side and twiddle her thumbs while Inuysaha takes care of things? Walking away from such an injustice would go against her very nature."

"But Mama…" Souta began softly, awed and confused by her words, "aren't you worried about them?"

The older woman smiled and tilted her head responding "Of course I am." At the continued confusion on his face, she stroked his hair lightly and explained "I always worry about her, and about you. I worry about everyone I care for" she said with a soft look down to Shippo, "but Kagome was right: Inuyasha is with her, and he'll keep her safe."

"She'll keep him safe too" Shippo spoke up quietly, looking into Mrs. Higurashi's warm eyes, his own growing more peaceful the more he thought. "In the demon circus… _she_ was the one protecting _him_."

This time her smile was genuine as Mrs. Higurashi hugged the little demon tighter and said quietly "I don't doubt it. They'll look after each other. Have faith in them."

With the little boys calmed for the moment, Mrs, Higurashi turned her glance behind her slightly to where Miroku and Sango stood, their expressions troubled and somber. Meeting the eyes of the former clown and demon-tamer, her own eyes lost their brave shine, and both understood her message: find Kagome and Inuyasha, and keep them safe for her.

* * *

Inuyasha grumbled through the flush on his cheeks as Kagome led him by the hand back to the circus. He knew he should have been the one leading, but at that moment, he wanted nothing more than to disappear into the black night around them. The city square was still alight with lamps as the foreigners drank and dined well into the evening, but the outerlying districts where the native citizens lived had long since calmed down. Looking up at the waning moon, Inuyasha knew it would only be a week or so more until the moonless night, but if Kagome's plan worked out, they'd be safe. At least… as safe as possible in enemy territory.

He'd forgotten how stubborn she could be. Safe in her home, with nothing to worry about but books and broken artifacts, they'd fallen into a comfortable routine. She'd gone to class, he'd worked for her grandfather, and in the evenings the whole crowded household would gather for a meal and maybe a game or two. Sometimes the two of them would slip away to sit in a tree or on her roof, and they'd watch the stars and talk, or just sit in companionable silence with her head against his shoulder. Their arguments were usually petty and short-lived, and always with the buffer of some friend or family member present. He'd forgotten just how scary she could be when she was truly upset. Mere seconds after he'd dragged her away from the train station and gathering crowd, Inuyasha had laid into her on all the reasons she shouldn't have come, all the reasons why this was a horrid idea and was only going to make things worse. She'd listened silently, though with an obvious tick, until all his words were spent and he'd been left huffing and puffing in indignation. Kagome had followed his tirade with a clear and concise and rather long list of reasons why he was being ridiculous.

"What were you planning to do?" she had asked him calmly, a dark eyebrow cocked as she waited for a response. He'd answered with a vaguely worded spiel along the lines of 'send the bastards to hell', at which point her reason opened fire. "You can't attack them here. You're in a city full of humans, full of foreigners at that, and if you start killing people in such a crowded place, there's going to be trouble." He had tried to blow it off, tried to make her see that trouble or no, he couldn't sit by and do _nothing_ , but she was only getting started. Point after point hit him one after another until he was starting to feel like a fool for having wanted to handle things himself. The feeling only made him more irritable, and he'd listened to her in stewing silence. "We don't know what they're capable of." "You'd be outnumbered." "What if they threatened the half-demons?" "What if you got hurt and there was no one around to help you?" It wasn't until she said, somewhat hesitantly, "What if you transform again?" that he had finally started to think about what she was suggesting. "We still don't know what caused it" she'd all but whispered, "and if you were to turn back to a full-demon, with no one around to calm you down… you could end up killing not just the performers, but the half-demons, and the whole town as well!"

That had been a turning point in his mood, and when she pointed out "You don't even have your sword" he almost, _almost_ refrained from asking snidely "And whose fault is that?"

Walking together now with their destination approaching and a shaky plan in mind, Inuyasha was glad she'd jumped off that train. If she had any bruises in the morning he wouldn't forgive himself for not catching her, but once again she had come to save his hide. Her fingers tightened around his as she stumbled slightly in the dark, and his cheeks burst red again as he remembered just what it was they were planning.

It was as solid a plan as they were likely to come up with, and would give them what they needed: time, and privacy. After much heated discussion through the back streets of Yokohama, they'd come to a consensus: they couldn't attack yet, but they needed to free the half-demons. That required more information on the seven men in charge, and they'd need to be able to gather it without rousing suspicion. It wouldn't hurt either to stay close to the half-demons in the meantime. Inuyasha hadn't intended to find the solution, but when he mockingly suggested "What, you want us to join their circus?" her eyes had grown wide and her mouth formed a surprised 'o' as she said quietly "that'll work…."

Despite his meager protests, he'd quickly realized that this might actually be their best shot at success. This other part of it though… this 'cover' for their plan… it had all been her idea, and while he wasn't necessarily _opposed_ to it, he was terrified of trying to pull it off. As the wooden archway of the circus came into view, Inuyasha swallowed his nervousness, trying to calm his nervous mind as he thought 'I don't think I can do this.'

If his mind had not been so otherwise occupied, Inuyasha might have noticed that the girl beside him wasn't faring much better. Her palm was growing sweaty in his as they approached the circus, butterflies flitting around painfully as her thoughts mirrored those of the boy whose hand she held. 'I don't think I can do this…' repeated over and over in her head so loudly she was sure he must have heard it too.

The front courtyard of the circus was deserted, banners waving lightly in the sea breeze and only dimly reflecting the waning light of the moon. But the eerie scene was lost on Kagome, whose current battle of nerves stemmed from a wholly different dilemma. Needing a distraction, her hand left Inuyasha's to grasp tightly onto his arm, wiping the signs of her nervousness on the pink shawl she'd bought earlier in the day. It was a nice protection from the cool sea air, but even so, with only her thin white undershirt beneath, she couldn't suppress a shiver. She hoped they'd be able to get their lodgings soon, as the promising warmth of her school kimono and his red happi coat were hidden away in her basket.

"What're you doing here?"

Both Kagome and Inuyasha jumped at the stern voice cutting through the darkness as a uniformed man stepped out from one of the booths. Recognizing the purple face markings and head-wrap of the fire-breathing performer, Kagome let her stirring emotions run free as she gave what she hoped was a convincing performance. If she messed up now, there wouldn't be another chance. "We're so sorry to barge in like this" she said in a weepy voice, "but we've nowhere else to go! Please, we must see the man in charge of this circus. It's very urgent!"

The fire-breather, Juroujin if she remembered correctly, peered narrowly at the pair of them, noting the basket and Kagome's clinginess as she leaned against Inuyasha in a helpless manner. Kagome didn't dare risk peeking at Inuyasha's face – she could only hope he was holding firm to the plan and not blushing at her proximity. Blushing would do them no good at this point. As if sensing her fears, Inuyasha spoke up beside her in a tough, somewhat nervous tone that fit perfectly into their 'situation'. "Hey, are you gonna take us or not?"

Glaring openly at the white-haired stranger, Juroujin said stiffly "This is no place for young punks like you to be wandering around at night. We're closed. Come back tomorrow."

He was just turning on his heel when Kagome called out in a panic "But we've nowhere else to go!"

"Is that supposed to be my problem?" the fire-god retorted listlessly, continuing back into the darkness.

Kagome felt a growl building up in the man beside her, and hastily elbowed him in the gut before he broke character. With a little more harshness than intended, he said quickly to the retreating figure "We got a proposition for your boss." The man stopped and looked back over his shoulder with a suspicious glare. Making sure he had the other man's attention, Inuyasha brought a hesitant clawed hand to the brim of his cap, twisting and adjusting it slightly but not quite removing it as he said quietly "We… don't really… fit in anywhere…. We thought we might try here."

The circus-man's eyes followed the movement of the hand, noting the glint of moonlight off the sharp claws, his eyes lingering on the trailing silver hair that shone a little too brightly. Lifting his head and moving the hat aside just a little, Inuyasha made sure that the light caught his eyes, and he was almost sure the man flinched when the golden orbs flashed almost white with the refraction. There was a beat of silence, then Juroujin's thin lips pursed before he said gruffly "Might as well hear you out. Follow me. If Bankotsu doesn't like it, he can handle you himself."

Sharing only the briefest look of confusion over the unfamiliar name, Kagome and Inuyasha followed silently after their host toward the center stage. They'd passed the first hurdle of getting in; now came the _real_ test of their acting abilities. The distant sound of conversation carried through the night air toward the approaching group, and even Kagome could make out the loud voice of the announcer, Benzaiten, among the chatter. It grew louder as the man called out "Renkotsu! Renkotsu, where'd you get off to?" Under the nearing light of torches, Kagome saw the dress-wearing Benzaiten round the corner, his face falling into what was almost a friendly smile as he saw his fellow circus act. "There you are, Renkotsu! We're just breaking out the drinks! What took you so…." They had entered the circle of firelight at that point, and it seemed the man had finally noticed that 'Juroujin' was not alone. His stare was uncomfortably long and intrusive, and Kagome noted it was much more lingering on Inuyasha than on herself. When his gaze looked her over, she could have sworn she saw his lip turn up in disgust, and she felt a little insulted. "Jakotsu" the man named Renkotsu said amiably, gesturing behind him at the others "I found these two wandering about the circus – they say they have business with Bankotsu. What do you think?"

The announcer, Jakotsu, stroked his chin in thought for a moment as he sized the strangers up again, and then said with a bit of a whine "The man is a definite yes, but why'd you let the girl in too?"

Renkotsu only laughed in response, saying through a chuckle "Mukotsu's gotta have something to play with too, doesn't he?"

Kagome felt her skin crawl at the conversation, and didn't bother to stop the man beside her as he growled loudly and pulled her against him. "Just what the hell are you two on about?"

At the growl, both performers turned fascinated eyes on Inuyasha, and Jakotsu's lips pulled into a grin as he said amusedly "Oh there's something interesting here, isn't there? Better get Bankotsu quick – he'll love this!"

"Get me for what?"

A much younger voice than the others broke the night as the strongman 'Bishamonten' entered the lamplight. He eyed Inuyasha and Kagome with an expression so young and curious that Kagome couldn't help staring back. Was… was he the leader? He was so young, and didn't seem nearly as strange as his cohorts. She had thought his 'leadership' of the other gods in the show was just a gimmick, but then… being the most unassuming probably made him all the more dangerous.

"What's this, Renkotsu? It's not like you to let 'guests' walk around our turf at night."

His tone was authoritative and his eyes hard as steel as he barely glanced Renkotsu's way. The man under his ire answered back casually to the intimidation "They wanted to meet with you, Big Brother. This… _man_ says they have a proposition."

Bankotsu's piercing gaze turned back to Inuyasha as the other circus performers emerged from the shadows to watch them as well, Hotei rolling up noisily behind them. The short old man 'Fukurokuju leered openly at Kagome, and Inuyasha gripped her tighter before she even had a chance to shiver in disgust. Ebisu the giant and Daikokuten the knife-thrower both gave them predatory looks, one full of hunger, and the other full of what could only be described as blood-lust. Hotei simply billowed steam as his metal smile did not move. "Well?" Bankotsu said loudly, crossing his arms over his lordly apparel, "What is it you want?"

Shooting the old man one last glare, Inuyasha faced the Ringmaster and said, with a feigned undercurrent of desperation, "We want to join your circus."

Smile growing in amusement, Bankotsu scoffed lightly and said, gesturing at the throng about him, "And what makes you think we need you? As you can see, we already have our seven gods, and I see no reason to change the number."

Shifting his weight nervously from foot to foot, though from his tensing Kagome knew it was just for show, Inuyasha said roughly "I don't mean as a performer…" his hand rose to the brim of his hat, and before he could second-guess the move, he slipped it off and finished "I meant as a freak." He twitched his ears sharply for added affect, and the entire mood of the group changed. Jakotsu gasped delightedly, and Bankotsu's expression changed to a wicked grin. Renkotsu seemed to be the only one whose mood turned south at the unveiling. "Why would a half-demon offer to be put on display?"

"Renkotsu."

Bankotsu's sharp reprimand shut the other man up with a glare, but Kagome had not missed his hidden meaning: the other half-demons weren't there willingly.

Inuyasha hadn't missed the slip either, but he hid his growl well as he said haltingly "Where else does a half-demon have to go? I… I have no other options for work. We ask… only for food and lodging. I'll do whatever it takes to find someplace for us to live."

Jakotsu's grin widened at the man's desperation, but Bankotsu was not so quick to give in. "I'll admit, we could make good use of you, but we've no use for the woman. She can look elsewhere for work."

"She stays." Despite the deep finality of Inuyasha's words, Bankotsu remained unimpressed. 'Fukurokuju' seemed to be of a different opinion however, and his thick lips turned in an ugly smile as he hissed "Indeed, brother Bankotsu, let the girl stay! I can always modify her – she'd look lovely with a nice set of bird's wings. Or perhaps we can simply strip her and cage her, put her on display as a goddess of beauty."

"Hey, I'm the goddess of beauty!" but Jakotsu's annoyed tirade was cut off by the loudest and fiercest growl yet as Inuyasha bared his teeth at the jeering men and curled Kagome against his chest protectively.

"You. Won't . _Touch_ her." He seethed, but as Kagome whispered harshly "Calm down!" against the black leather of his shirt, he swallowed his growl and said thickly "She stays with me. She's my wife."

Nestled against his chest, Kagome could hear his heart-rate pick up exponentially at the lie, even as he said the words with such conviction that her face erupted in red. It was lucky her face was hidden. It had been _her_ idea, _she_ had decided on their cover story, and yet… hearing it said to others was _so_ _different_ from simply discussing the possibility.

"Your _wife_?" Jakotsu exclaimed, his whining tone returning with force. Kagome was more than a little perturbed to realize just why he seemed so put off by the idea. She knew her own cover was to act demure and doting, but if that snake-charmer ever dared to touch her half-demon….

"If you must know" Inuyasha said with annoyance, not liking the reactions he was getting from Jakotsu or the short old man who was obviously pouting, "We were married secretly. Her family was… opposed to the idea, and threw her out as soon as they discovered it. Now we… we really have… nowhere else to go. And I won't go anywhere without her."

Bankotsu remained silent and ponderous as he locked eyes with the half-demon, a silent battle of wills taking place between them. Beside him, Jakotsu seemed torn as he also watched the half-demon. "Big Brother," he said beseechingly, "We can't let him leave! Think of the crowds he would draw! And he can't want the woman around _forever_."

Anger boiling at the thought that she might just be 'tossed away', and by Inuyasha no less, was making her mask difficult to hold. But counting to ten in her head and gripping Inuyasha tightly around the middle, Kagome said in as desperate a tone as she could muster, "Oh please, let me stay with him! I'll wash, I'll clean the cages, I'll even… I'll even take care of the… m- _monsters_." She gave a dramatic shudder in a perfect impression of fear, while really reacting to having called those poor, abused half-demons such a cruel term.

She felt Inuyasha's large hand smoothing down her hair, her red ribbon tucked away in her basket, and found herself quite proud of how well he was handling their little farce. He'd been so nervous when she'd first suggested it, and she'd worried he wouldn't be able to get the words out without stuttering. Somehow he'd been able to rouse the courage to pull off the lie, and Kagome couldn't help wondering if it was in response to the ugly, leering little man pretending to be Fukurokuju. If so… she didn't want to be indebted to the creep, but she supposed in a strange way she was grateful.

Through the silence, Bankotsu's youthful voice rang out "Very well! You can stay." Kagome couldn't hide her surprise as she turned away from the black of Inuyasha's shirt to the black-braided man. He didn't seem to notice as he waived his hand dismissively and said "Who are we to turn away those in need? We can give you a tent and appropriate clothes, and you're welcome to our food vendors whenever you need. That'll be your payment."

"Thank you" Inuyasha responded tightly, not bothering to fight the terms. That was really all they needed anyways.

Bankotsu smirked at the apparent submissiveness of his new circus act, and added jovially "We were just about to break out some drinks. The foreigners have some great stuff – really strong too. You're welcome to join us, though your woman might not like the company."

Inuyasha met his taunting grin with a simple "We've had a long journey. Show us to our tent and we'll turn in."

"Oh I see" Bankotsu said laughingly, turning to his fellow performers as he teased "I suppose we aren't quite as entertaining as a woman, after all! Don't waste all your energy, Dog-man! We need you bright and early at dawn for… training." The other men joined him in uproarious laughter as both Kagome and Inuyasha turned brilliant red from a mix of anger and utter embarrassment. "Renkotsu, take the love-birds to their new home. We'll save you some gin."

Jakotsu's angry exclamation of "I'm more entertaining than any woman" was the last thing they heard among the laughing men as they followed Renkotsu away from the center stage and further into the back lot. Kagome surmised that despite different outside appearances, all circuses must be messes behind the scenes. Canvas tents dotted the yard, crates and boxes stacked haphazardly between them. There were far more tents than what would have been needed of seven men, and remembering the foreign workers from earlier in the day, she wondered just how many were staying on the premises as well. Once again, she was glad Inuyasha had agreed to their plan – there were so many innocents here who could have been hurt if they had attacked. And if some of them weren't so innocent… they would need time to figure out who needed saving and who had to be dealt with.

"This is a storage tent" Renkotsu said, stopping suddenly outside a large but sturdy cloth structure, "You can take what supplies you need and move what you don't somewhere else. Don't bother us with stupid questions, and don't leave the premises."

"Not like we'd be welcome anywhere else" Inuyasha added for effect, and Renkotsu glanced at him briefly before turning on his heel and heading back the way they'd come. Once he was out of eyesight, Inuyasha led the way into the dark tent, his inhuman eyes scanning for a source of light. Finding a lantern with a pane of cracked glass, Inuyasha helped guide Kagome through the dark as she fumbled in her basket for the box of matches she'd brought from home. Wincing as the first strike brought a flash of light to the otherwise pitch blackness, she lit the lantern and set it on a crate as Inuyasha wrinkled his nose. "I hate those things" he said with a nod to the matchbox, "they smell… unnatural."

Kagome simply shrugged and packed them away again, saying softly "Unless you have a better way to start a fire, they're all we have." What little light the lantern provided was enough for both of them to tell that this particular storage tent had been unattended for some time. There were webs in the corners and the boxes were in disarray. Underneath a pile of circus props they found a slightly worn cot, which when covered with extra rolls of drapery wasn't quite as uninviting as it first seemed. Inuyasha carefully sniffed through each cloth they found, tossing out anything that smelled like it had been touched by the 'seven lucky gods'. He had begun to pick up their scents through the salt air, and he knew that some things had been handled by them, and others by workers. Inuyasha couldn't explain why, but there was something different about them, something collectively which smelled vaguely like… dirt. It was strange, but also fitting, so he didn't think much else of it.

Once he figured the make-shift bed was cushioned enough and warm enough, he patted it and said to his companion "There you go. Don't worry, it's all clean." Kagome looked back at him strangely, and his confused face met her cautious one. She glanced from him, to the bed, and back again before saying "thank you" in a somewhat strained voice. Not knowing what to make of her reaction and becoming increasingly agitated, Inuyasha said in a sour tone "Is there something wrong with it?"

She jumped as if realizing she'd done something wrong, and quickly made for the cot, pulling back a few blankets and sliding beneath them. The cot was wide enough for her to be comfortable, but still she pushed herself over against the side closest to the tent wall, leaving the blankets pulled back slightly. Inuyasha wondered what on earth she was doing until she lay back, looking up at him with red cheeks and an expectant expression, and then it clicked: they were supposed to be married. His face burst into deeper red than hers, his earlier admission in front of the circus performers ringing in his dog ears, and suddenly he found himself stuttering "Y-you take the cot. I, uh, I-I'll s-stand guard. Make sure those freaks don't get weird ideas." The last part was enough to settle his nerves. That old man had developed one too many ideas about Kagome, and he'd be damned if he let the little creep get to her. He was set on his reasoning, until Kagome's tired voice said "And what kind of ideas do you think they'll get if you're found sitting on the floor while your wife sleeps alone?" While Inuyasha's blood had taken permanent residency in his cheeks, Kagome's own blush was quickly fading as she thought back on the performers they were now employed under. She'd been afraid that they'd have no use for her, but she had never expected them to be so hostile to her presence, or so eager to exploit her. To say she was unsettled was an understatement.

"Please, Inuyasha?" He looked at her with wide eyes at the question; she'd been using that word all night, but it sounded different now from her earlier acting. "I'm cold."

Her gaze was strong as it held his, willing him to understand her reasoning, knowing words now would just get in the way. And he did understand; he'd seen that expression before, what seemed like ages ago now, when she'd come to him at night with the same excuse because a children's song had haunted her dreams. His eyes softened, and he nodded silently, sitting at the edge of the cot and slipping beneath the blankets beside her. It was a tight fit for both of them, but he only blushed slightly as she cuddled up against his chest, his arms wrapping firmly around her back, cocooning her securely between the blankets and his body. _No one_ was going to take her away from him, 'lucky gods' or otherwise.

* * *

*Author's Note:

OOOOOOOHOHOHOHO. I've been waiting to get to this point. :3 So! Here's the basic set up for the story. Now we're gonna _really_ get into the swing of things! BIG thanks to those who have already reviewed and faved and followed after just one chapter! I hope you enjoy where this story goes, and I can't wait to tell it to you!

Also, before you ask, this is remaining at a 'T' rating.

Thanks for the support! Cross your fingers that the next chapter goes up as quickly as this one did!


	3. From Both Sides

~Freak Attraction: Seven-Man Circus~

Chapter Three: From Both Sides

* * *

The slap of sandals against packed dirt woke Inuyasha from sleep, and for a moment he wondered where he was. It didn't take long to realize that the slight give of the bed beneath him was not his usual futon on the floor of Kagome's guestroom. Not that he slept on it much, preferring to sit up against the wall… which he was most certainly not doing now. He hardly had a moment to remember why Kagome had been snuggled so securely against him before the footsteps were right outside their tent and he was forced to meet them. Sweeping aside the flap of fabric before the would-be intruder could, Inuyasha was met with a surprising visitor. He had been expecting one of the seven circus performers – instead he found himself facing a half-demon.

Inuyasha stared warily at the man who looked past him with dark, vacant eyes. He remembered – this was the man who became a demon when the sun went down. Inuyasha couldn't recall what Jakotsu had called him, but he wouldn't have used the title even if he knew. "What d'you want?"

"You and your wife are to dress and meet the Seven Gods in the center ring. They will give you your tasks and begin your training."

Ignoring the use of the seven humans' presumptuous title, Inuyasha found himself more interested in the state of the messenger than in the message he was giving. There was something… wrong with him. His words were without intonation or feeling; not that he needed to be showy about it, but something in his stare was unsettling. It had been bothering him since they first saw the show. But he would be patient and wait for the answer, as Kagome had planned. Despite every bone in his body wanting to pound the truth out of their strange hosts, he knew there were more lives than his own at stake, and he didn't yet know what to expect of these circus-men. Waiting-game or no however, their research had to start somewhere.

"What's your name?"

The glassy-eyed half-demon didn't so much as blink at the question, responding in that same monotone as before "I am called Izumo."

There was a frightening sense of detachment with the name, and Inuyasha found himself starting to really worry over the man's predicament. On the surface there was nothing wrong – his completely human appearance showed no signs of illness or fatigue, though… perhaps he seemed a little stiffer than should be normal. As more and more questions filled Inuyasha's mind, the man turned to go, but a hasty "Wait!" from Inuyasha made him pause.

Mouth open as he searched for the words, Inuyasha finally settled on a question that seemed innocuous enough. "Do you know what I am?"

Izumo stared at him without any sort of emotion and said in a voice as dead as his eyes "You're a monster." There was no mockery in his words, no hatred or disgust, just a serenity that left Inuyasha wondering whether Izumo knew what he had even said.

* * *

"What do you think, Miroku?"

The former monk's wandering eyes snapped back to the dark haired girl before him, her demon cat curled contently on her lap as their train rolled along. The pinkish ladies with mounds of hair and tightly cinched dresses had been distracting his attention for quite some time, and it took him a moment to remember just where there conversation had been headed.

"I just hope Inuyasha doesn't do anything too rash" he responded with a frown. He caught the eye of a red-haired western lady down the aisle and gave her a wink, setting her giggling as the mustached man beside her bristled. Turning back to the scolding look of his companion, he continued in more serious tones "I believe Kagome staying with him is for the best. She'll keep him from making too much of an uproar. I can only imagine what it was like for him to see such mistreatment of others half-demons… but the situation is delicate."

"I agree" Sango said shortly, glancing out the window at the rushing world of green outside, "Kagome probably has her hands full keeping him in line… I wonder though why she didn't want us trying to meet up!"

Miroku folded his arms in thought, staring absently at the indigo of his borrowed robe as he said "Apparently as a precaution. I doubt Kagome had a real plan in mind. Waiting for them to contact us is risky, especially since we don't know where they'll be."

Sango met his gaze with piqued interest. "So you're saying we should look for them?"

"What I'm saying is that we should gather as much information as we can. Even though we don't know their plan, we'll be of more use to them and those half-demons if we're privy to the situation."

She stared at him for a moment, and then her lip quirked into a knowing smile as she said "So we're visiting the circus?"

His responding grin was deceptively casual as Miroku answered "It's really the only way to know what's going on for sure."

"Not slacking off again, are you Miroku?"

"Now whatever gave you that idea!"

* * *

Kagome stumbled slightly as she crept around a stack of crates, crying out quietly as the contents of the heavy pot she carried nearly sloshed over the edge. Pausing for a moment while the warm stew settled again, she blew a sigh of relief and continued on toward the cages lined up against a high wooden fence. The occupants of the cages were still and silent, and seemingly asleep. Her heart fell a little to think she would have to interrupt what little peace they had, but she couldn't let them starve. She was sure they'd understand.

The first cage was of the lavender-haired girl; her black robe was wrapped tightly around her slim frame, the soft glow of the red crystal she carried illuminating her dark face beneath the folds of fabric. Kagome stood for a moment, simply observing her, feeling her heart constrict. Aside from the strange crystal and unusual shade of her hair, there was nothing 'monstrous' about her. She was a lovely young girl, and looked as though she might have been happy once; but even in sleep she was tense, and her fingers clutching the red orb were white-knuckled from her grip.

Clearing her throat with a cough, Kagome said hesitantly, in a soft voice still loud enough to be heard "Excuse me… miss! I've brought food."

A violent gasp tore from her throat as the young girl's eyes shot open. There was no emotion as she slowly turned to face Kagome, her eyes clouded over as they had been on stage the night before. Choosing to ignore the odd behavior, Kagome put on her kindest smile and lifted the pot of stew a little higher for the girl to see. "I've brought lunch! I'm afraid it's cooled down on the trip, but it should still be good!" When there was no reaction from the half-demon girl, Kagome's smile fell.

"She won't answer you."

Kagome jumped at the unexpected and unfamiliar voice, frantically looking about to find its owner. It was a moment or so before she realized that another pair of eyes was focused on her: big and blue and unnaturally round. It was the giant half-demon, the one Jakotsu had called an 'ogre'. His cage was the last in line, and even though it towered over the others, he sat tightly hunched inside it.

He looked away sharply when her eyes lingered on his, but before he could clam up entirely she asked "What do you mean? Why won't she answer?"

The half-demon looked startled that she had replied, and he didn't respond right away. Glancing back and forth from her to the ground, he shifted in his enclosure and said in a deep but gentle voice "It's a trance she's under. They're all under it. They won't answer unless directed to by the gods."

His words were so matter-of-fact that Kagome almost let it be - until she realized just who he was talking about. "They're not 'gods' you know." Her voice was laced with irritation, and her brows pinched as she set down her pot of food and walked up to the large cage and its occupant. The half-demon cowered as she approached, and Kagome stopped dead in her tracks to realize that the larger-than-life demon was afraid of her.

"What's your name?"

Her gently uttered question had the desired effect; the tension left his shoulders and he turned wide eyes back to her expectant face. "J-Jinenji" he said softly, and her smile grew.

"Nice to meet you, Jinenj! I'm Kagome!" She bent sharply in a quick bow, but when she rose to face her new friend, he had turned his back on her. Frowning in confusion, she opened her mouth to say something when his deep voice cracked through the air "You shouldn't do that." Blue eyes peaked over his shoulder at her as he continued "I don't deserve your kindness. You should fear me! I'm a monster."

Kagome would have scoffed if she hadn't thought it might further upset the sensitive half-demon. "You're not a monster – how could you say such a thing?"

Jinenji turned fully to face her again, and with quiet conviction said "I _am_ a monster. All you have to do is look at me to know the truth."

"You're a half-demon" Kagome countered, her tone firm and eyes full of fire. "You have demon blood in your veins, as well as human. You may have demonic traits, but you're carrying on a conversation with me, just like any human would, aren't you?"

His large, horse-like mouth hung open in shock, and stammering he said "Y-you know about half-demons?"

With a bit of humor in her voice, she replied wryly "Jinenji, I was trapped in a demon circus for almost a month – I'm well aware that demons exist. And besides…" she felt her cheeks warm a bit, but plowed on in as convincing a tone as she could "Besides, my… my husband is a half-demon."

Jinenji didn't seem to notice her blush through his shock. "Y-you're serious? You actually _married_ a half-demon?"

She was stunned by the awe in his voice, and she stopped for a moment to think on what she'd told him, and what it must have meant. "I did" she said thickly, "I love him." Kagome boldly held Jinenjis' watery blue gaze, desperately eager for him to believe her story. Not the cover story they had created, but the truth behind it: that half-demons were worthy of love, and that there were people willing to bestow it. More than anything, in this place she needed _someone_ to believe that with her.

Eventually the intensity fell from his gaze, and Kagome saw the smallest of smiles lift his large mouth. "I'm very happy to meet you… Kagome."

As a smile of her own lit her face, Kagome turned back to fetch the forgotten pot of soup, and returned to ladle some into Jinenji's proffered bowl. "I'm sorry, it's probably cooled down by now…" she crinkled her nose at the tang of sour vegetables and continued "I hope it tastes better than it smells."

"That would be a first" Jinenji said softly, gratefully accepting a full bowl all the same. He set it down in a nook of space beside him and said hesitantly "Kagome? Will you… will you be taking care of us from now on?"

"That's right" she answered distractedly, reaching into the cage beside him for the dirty bowl belonging to the still-sleeping boy with ram's horns. "Who was taking care of you before? One of the performers?"

"No," Jinenji answered, watching as she brushed old bits of food from the bowl before refilling it, "the gods don't really bother with us when we're not on stage. It was Izumo – he's the half-demon who transforms at night. They control him to do their bidding, and since he's a human during the day, he can run errands for them in town. They don't usually leave the compound."

Kagome hummed absently, taking every piece of information she could and tucking it away to discuss later with Inuyasha. There had to be a hint somewhere as to how they could take down those 'gods'. Reaching the next cage, she paused to find the little mermaid-girl not in a tank, but behind bars like all the others. She was curled on her side, tiny hands placed under her cheek while she dozed. The scales of her tail looked dull and dingy, and Kagome noticed that the 'skin' didn't quite fit – it creased and folded and sagged, and she was appalled to realize that it was a costume. Real scales covering normal, human-like legs. She burned to free the little girl from the charade, and ached to know that she couldn't – yet.

"It's wrong, what they're doing to you" Kagome muttered, cleaning the little girl's bowl and filling it to the brim, "I can't believe no one's noticed yet."

Jinenji didn't respond, and Kagome was fine with that; she needed time to let her anger simmer. Finished filling the bowls, Kagome turned to see Jinenji still watching her, and meeting his eyes with a smile she said lightly "Well, I guess I'll see you again at dinner-time."

Shaking his head, the half-demon replied "No, you won't see us until after the show. That's when the next meal is."

Indignation flared in her, but Kagome kept her temper down. "Then I'll just have to stop by for a visit." Hefting the now lighter pot by its handle, Kagome began to walk back to the food vendors, but was stopped by Jinenji's timid appeal.

"Miss Kagome… you're not… going to leave us, are you?"

She stopped and turned back to him, seeing the budding hope in his eyes. It was the same sort of look Inuyasha had worn that first night they'd met in Naraku's circus. Her determination steeled even more.

"Don't worry Jinenji. We won't be leaving without any of you."

* * *

Inuyasha grunted under the weight of the barbells in his hands, his muscles starting to protest holding up the heavy weights for so long. The sharp clack of sticks told him that test was over, and he gratefully dropped the solid weights to the hard dirt beneath his feet. His eyes narrowed in annoyance as Jakotsu's enthusiastic clapping broke through the air. "Excellent, excellent! You'd make a better strong-man than Bankotsu, if you weren't a freak." The 'god of beauty' crossed the empty patch of dirt to stand beside Inuyasha, who reflexively moved away. "We won't have you do any tricks as of yet" Jakotsu said with a grin, his eyes lighting up with amusement as Inuyasha flinched away, "We'll let the crowds get used to you first, and build you a reputation. Then we'll really wow them!"

Still eyeing the circus performer cautiously, Inuyasha muttered a gruff "Whatever" before stepping decidedly aside to grab his discarded shirt from off a nearby crate. "Are we done then?" he asked, trying to keep his ire in check; he'd nearly blown it several times that morning after some off-putting remarks from his trainer.

Heaving a dramatic sigh, Jakotsu said in melancholy tones "I suppose so. You might as well eat something – you'll be needed back here once the sun starts its descent, for your cage-fitting."

Scoffing, Inuyasha made to pull his leather shirt back on before Jakotsu spoke up "Oh, and Inuyasha?" He paused and turned to see a very unpleasant smile creeping onto the man's face as he continued "We'll work out costume details later, but for tonight, you'll only be needing those hakama. We can't have our "Dog-man" looking too dressed up, now can we?" With one final smirk he turned and wandered round the back of the empty stage, the voices of the other gods rising up to greet him at his approach. Inuyasha sneered at his departing figure, slipping the leather over his frame and tucking it into his hakama before heading off. Sniffing the air intently, he searched under the sea-salt for the familiar scent of Kagome, eager to see her and more than ready for a break from the seven performers.

The circus grounds were quiet and empty aside from a few workers bustling about the front on business, and it wasn't long before Inuyasha picked up on the sweet scent of his favorite person as he neared the food vendor's plaza. He saw her from a distance as she sat at one of the long tables, and her head perked up as she undoubtedly sensed his aura. A grin spread across his face as suddenly she stood and began to run to him, the white of her blouse and the billowy blue skirt she had borrowed from the circus stores giving her an almost ethereal look as she raced across the dirt to him. He didn't realize he was rushing to meet her until she was already in his arms, held tightly as she gripped his waist. "I wasn't gone for that long" he teased, but his teasing mood fell as he realized she was shaking.

"It's awful" she said quietly; her voice was steady, her eyes devoid of tears, but Inuyasha could feel the anger rolling off her in waves. "I wish we could get them all out, right now, but… in their condition…." She broke off with a huff, and Inuyasha pulled away slightly to look down at her and ask "What do you mean? What condition?"

"When I found you, back in Naraku's circus… I don't know, you were still _you_. You were strong." She shook her head, pausing to gather her thoughts, and continued "You still had a fighting spirit. That's how we were able to escape. I didn't get you out on my own. But these half-demons… their spirits are broken. Most of them can't even think for themselves anymore." Her arms squeezed tighter around him and she laid her head back on his chest, saying in a sad little voice "Even if we did get them out of here, they probably wouldn't even notice the difference."

Her words left him cold, because he understood – he'd seen it in Izumo just that morning. How could you save someone who didn't realize they needed saving? Nudging her shoulder slightly, Inuyasha got Kagome to meet his gaze as he said "It ain't like you to sound so down. How about some chow?"

She smiled slightly, chiding "Always hungry, aren't you?" but he let it slide; he was just happy to have gotten her to smile again.

"There must be a million things to try here" he responded lightly, taking her by the hand and leading her to the stalls, "Anything catch your eye while you were waiting?"

"I wasn't feeling all that hungry," she said with a sigh, "not after talking to the half-demons." There was a pause as Kagome's gaze drifted down to the dirt beneath her feet, and she spoke up "Inuyasha? I want to go visit the half-demons later… with you."

"Of course." His firm reply was just what she needed, and she leaned against him as they walked back to the table she'd been seated at. Seeing the troubled state his girl was in, and knowing it would only get worse as the days went on, Inuyasha decided to take a page out of Kagome's own book, and create a pocket of happiness in their bleak new world. "I tell ya what" he started jovially, and his light-hearted tone caught Kagome off guard as she raised wide eyes to look at him, "there are too many different types of foods here, and it'd take us forever to decide which one to eat. So how about each day we pick a different one? We'll meet here after training, and just go from stand to stand each day until we've sampled a little bit of everything! It'll be like we're world travelers!"

Kagome couldn't help smiling at the infectiously excited tone of his voice. Of course he was eager to try everything, what with a bottomless stomach like his, but she could also tell he was trying to cheer her up, and that meant the world to her. "Alright," she conceded, glancing about the ring of food stalls, "So where do we start?"

"With whatever's closest!" A clawed finger pointed off to their right, where an old woman in a simple Chinese dress sat on a stool, stirring the steaming contents of a large pot. With an imploring smile, Kagome approached the stall and explained their situation, and although the woman never spoke, she seemed to understand as she handed the young girl a large bowl filled to the brim with broth and noodles. Kagome took it with a bow and met Inuyasha at the table, his nose twitching eagerly to catch the aroma of their first experiment with foreign cuisine. His hand shot across the table to grab for the single set of chopsticks she'd brought, but Kagome had anticipated him. The wooden sticks were snatched up before his claws could close around them, a look of triumph branded over Kagome's features.

"Oh no you don't" she chided playfully, wagging a finger at his scowl, "You wanted to share, and that's just what we're going to do." Dipping the sticks into the foggy broth, Kagome swirled them about to catch a clump of thin noodles. Inuyasha's eyes followed every move greedily, his tongue peeking out to wet his lips as Kagome held the dripping noodles over the bowl. It surprised him when, instead of bringing the tasty looking treat to her own mouth, she extended the food out to him. His puzzled gaze peered at her over the mound of food, and with a smile she explained "Since we're married and all…."

He held back his blush, squashing down anything but a neutrally happy response as his insides danced. Sharing food wasn't all that special; feeding each other, in public, was decidedly showy. Even if they actually were married, Inuyasha doubted he'd ever be comfortable enough to be so openly affectionate. But if they didn't play their part well, their bosses might get wise, and their chance of rescuing the half-demons would disappear. So, leaning forward and awkwardly opening his mouth, Inuyasha took the first bite.

There was a brief moment of contemplation before the flavor resonated in his mouth; rich and bright and so nicely salty, he soaked in the taste coating the perfectly cooked noodles, his eyes closing in bliss, his whole body melting with the heavenly experience. He heard Kagome giggle, and opened his eyes to see her smiling behind her hand. "So, are they any good?" She laughed again as his expression turned stern, his eyes bright with mirth as he said briskly "Keep it comin', woman!" She passed another heap of noodles to him before tasting it herself. She hummed appreciatively, saying as she helped him to another serving "At this rate we might not make it to the other food stands!" He scoffed through a mouthful of noodles, swallowing and licking his lips as he said "Who needs anything else? This stuff is amazing!" It was through sheer strength of will that he managed to allow Kagome to share the near-perfect meal; but once the noodles were gone, he wasted no time in bringing the bowl to his lips, slurping up the soup as his 'wife' tried to hide her laughter.

* * *

Miroku watched as the last half-demon was wheeled off the stage, the tiny mermaid girl floating listlessly in her tank as water nearly splashed onto the stage. His grip on Sango's hand tightened, Kirara's faint growls still rising up from where the demon cat hid beneath her human's hair. Neither questioned why Inuyasha and Kagome had chosen to stay; this was inexcusable. "It's like feeding night all over again" Sango mumbled beside him, and he turned to her as Benzaiten made his way back on stage, "we're just as helpless as we were then. Just as powerless."

"But that was before we had Inuyasha and Kagome on our side" Miroku said with a smile, catching Sango's eye, "and so long as we keep a low profile, we'll be able to help them, whatever their plan might be."

Sango nodded, glancing around furtively before saying "I wonder where they are, anyways. They weren't at the train station, or in the market – and Kirara hasn't sensed them in the crowd. You don't think something's happened to them, do you?"

"Now now, no thinking like that" Miroku said, squeezing her hand briefly, "I'm sure they're handling things in their own way. We'll look again once the show's over, but for now let's try to learn all that we can about this circus."

Releasing a shaky breath, the former demon-tamer turned back to the show, her expression resolute, and Miroku smiled to know that for the moment at least, he'd been able to calm her fears. His own were still running rampant. He had noticed that these performers were human and nothing more, but their abilities far exceeded that of any normal human, even one with spiritual powers. He felt something off about them, as though a strange aura surrounded them, but he couldn't quite figure it out. Miroku's attention turned back to the stage to see the gods had all come out this time, gearing up for their final acts.

Benzaiten led off, once again transforming his decorative snake into a lethal chain-sword. The sword slashed over the heads of the audience, eliciting shrieks and awed applause as it narrowly missed their top hats; Benzaiten grinned broadly at their reactions. The god of beauty twirled the blades around himself, dancing through their coils, gracefully avoiding even the slightest nick until with a flourish the snake was back, curling around his body and snapping it's wide jaw at the stunned crowd.

The smiling Hotei wheeled forward on the stage, raising a flat wooden board on the platform above his head. Miroku gasped as the 'vampire' girl climbed atop it, expressionless and still clutching her red orb. Daikokuten stepped onto the stage, small knives clutched between his fingers as he eyed his target. With a roar he flung his hand, four knives whistling through the air to embed themselves in the wood behind the girl, perfectly framing her body with hardly an inch of room. His smile was blood-thirsty as his second hand released and the dull thunk of metal piercing wood made way for thunderous applause. He couldn't be sure, but Miroku had thought he saw the broken red orb glow, albeit faintly, just before the knives had struck.

As the previous act cleared the stage, Ebisu's thunderous steps quieted the crowd as Fukurokuju followed cackling, his arms full of bones. No explanation or fanfare was given as the short, squat man deposited the bones on the floor, pulling a small pot from his white robes and nearly dancing with excitement. The crowd waited with bated breath; even Miroku remembered the god's spontaneous revival of small bones into a living, clucking chicken, and he was almost eager to see the miracle performed again. Fukurokuju's weathered hand reached into the pot, scattering a cloud of colored dust over the bones. Shocks of electricity leapt through the cloud, light glancing from particle to particle as the shadow of the bones seemed to get bulkier. The sound of hissing and popping rose through the dust, a sick bubbling sound like boiling oil filling the otherwise silent stage. As the dust finally settled, a mass of fur lifted itself from the floor, standing shakily on four legs, and the crowd gasped as a blue-eyed wolf lifted its muzzle to the sky and let out a mournful howl. Before the pitiful creature could stagger away, Ebisu was upon it, grabbing the living wolf around its scrawny middle before bringing it to his mouth and in one sickening move, swallowing it whole.

The repulsed and mystified crowd was distracted again as Juroujin took center-stage, spitting fire and juggling torches much as he'd done before. A large, black metal canon was wheeled up beside him, and with a few acrobatic, flaming twists, he pointed the canon to the sky, lit it , and stepped back as it boomed and rolled, sending a fizzling projectile into the night which exploded in bursts of vibrant color. The oohs and aahs of the audience created the perfect entrance for Bishamonten, the explosions in the sky dousing him in robes of color as the audience cheered. His enormous metal barbells reflected the explosions across the stage, creating a spectacular light show as the god of war spun the weights above his head, throwing it from hand to hand and tossing it in the air to deftly catch it again as though it were a baton. As his show came to a close, the 'ogre' ambled on behind him, taking the barbells with a grunt as the strongman tossed it to the half-demon more than twice his size.

Fireworks continued to fill the sky as the gods all came on to take a bow, somehow managing to look arrogant even as they thanked their guests. The men and women in the crowd, all in varying states of shock and awe, began turning to leave, their chatter filling the air, when suddenly Benzaiten's voice sounded above the clatter.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! We have one more surprise for you tonight!"

All eyes turned back to the now empty stage, the cacophony of light and noise in the sky now gone except for lingering clouds of smoke. Benzaiten stepped out from the shadows, torchlight highlighting the stripes across his cheeks as they lifted in a smile. "We've got a brand new act, recently acquired! Before he can perform, our new monster must first be broken" he chuckled to himself in some private joke, then continued with excitement "but tonight we show to you a special preview of our newest marvel!"

The crowd was tripping over themselves to get back to the stage, and Miroku felt his feet move forward of their own accord. Suspicion and dread were gnawing at him, and he unknowingly grasped Sango's hand tighter, drawing her closer to his side.

"From these very shores, a monster of Japanese myth and legend; a phantom known to every villager, whispered about when death or disaster strikes." A faint sound, like an animal scratching on wood, drifted through the silent air. "Those willing to pay the price evoke this spirit when trouble finds them. He can bring fortune or disaster, fulfil wishes or revenge. The master only has so much control of the beast, and when this spirit grows tired of obeying, it knows no friend or foe." Growling joined the clamorous scratching, and the clinking sound of chains startled the onlookers. Miroku shared a panic-filled glance with the woman beside him; these sounds were only too familiar.

"Honorable guests, I present to you: The InuGami!"

Bursting forth from the black curtain was Inuyasha, a chain around his neck, straining against his bonds, snarling and growling. But Miroku noticed immediately: his eyes were not red. No stripes marred his face. In fact his golden eyes were alert, aware, and nervously scanning the crowd. Despite his vicious performance, his eyes were normal. The monk noticed no undue stress, no clues to say that this was anything but a voluntary performance. It made no sense.

"Miroku, what on earth is he doing?" Sango's bewildered tone matched his own thoughts, and he shrugged, having no other response to give her. "And where's Kagome?"

"Right here."

Both the monk and demon-tamer jumped at the soft whisper behind them, but Kagome promptly shushed them as their startled eyes met hers. With a faint shooing motion they turned back to the stage to see Benzaiten theatrically baiting the dog-spirit to attack, Inuyasha pretending to strain against the bond he could easily break. "You don't know me" Kagome whispered behind them in urgent tones, "and you don't know Inuyasha either. You musn't let them know you even recognize us!"

"But Kagome" Sango hissed back, trying to hide her fear and burning curiosity in a whisper, "what's going on?"

"We're working here, for now" the girl responded, nudging Miroku when his gawking became too apparent, "Inuyasha's joined the freak show, and I'm taking care of the half-demons during the day. We're doing our best to figure out the Shichifukujin's weaknesses, but this is only our second day here."

Miroku's expression hardened with resolution, understanding his friends' reasoning, even if he didn't like the risks. "What do you need from us?"

"Time" Kagome said quickly, "Time and back-up should it come to a fight. I'm sorry to have to ask this of both of you, but you'll have to stick around for a while until we figure something out."

"Of course" Sango responded, her eyes never breaking from the stage where Inuyasha sat obediently, while Benzaiten drank in the praise of the audience for having 'tamed' the monster, "We wouldn't dream of leaving you two here."

Kagome's sigh of relief brought a smile to Miroku; he knew that despite her strong façade, she had to have been worried sick. He wondered briefly if her position behind them was not only to hide their conversation from the gods, but also to hide the view of the stage and her beloved being so publicly humiliated. His heart ached for both of them. "How shall we meet to exchange information?"

There was silence behind them as Kagome thought, and her quiet voice spoke up hesitantly "I'm… not sure. They've told us not to leave the grounds, but… no one really bothers us at night. You see… they think we're… married."

At the choking laughter from her friends, Kagome responded shrilly "It's not funny! It was the only way they'd let me stay with him!"

Miroku didn't need to look to know that Kagome's face was most likely a brilliant red. Once this was all over, and everyone was safe, he'd have the time of his life teasing his two friends. But such things could wait. "We'll be waiting outside the circus compound tomorrow night, on the west side bordering the forest. If you don't show, we'll leave at sun-up. We'll keep coming until either of you are able to slip away; we'll go from there."

"Thank you Miroku, thank you Sango."

"Take care Kagome" and then she was gone, slipped back into the crowd as the audience finally dispersed with the end of the show. Miroku and Sango left with them, blending effortlessly in with the tired guests despite their tumultuous thoughts.

They didn't stop until the bustling market street stretched out before them, foreigners enjoying the night life as they drank and dined well into the morning. Sparing a little pocket change for skewers of fried eel, the two travelers sat on an empty bench, absently eating as they tried to process the night's events. Sharing a bite of eel with Kirara, Sango sighed heavily and turned to her companion, saying quietly "Where to now, Miroku?"

"I'm not sure" he responded, staring down at his scant meal, appetite forgotten. "I'm sure there are plenty of inns, what with all the foreign traffic. But we're low on pocket change. I wish I'd thought to bring more."

"We'll get by" Sango said sternly, "Even if we have to camp out in the woods. Inuyasha and Kagome need us."

"I suppose we should follow their fine example" Miroku said, the beginnings of a smile on his face, "and find work here, somewhere. We'll need a cover story of course."

Sango glanced over at him behind accusing eyes, but her tone was light with amusement as she teased "I'm not pretending to be your wife, monk."

Miroku couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up in his throat, and soon Sango joined him, the horrors of the night washing away in a rare and precious moment of companionship.

The loud crash of bottles breaking and angry shouts tore their light mood, and both turned just as a round old man was pushed through the open door of a nearby bar, the shopkeeper barring the door as the wobbly man found his footing. "This is the last time, Mushin! I wouldn't sell you another bottle if you brought me a mountain of gold!"

Sango crinkled her nose at the sickly-sweet smell of alcohol wafting from the staggering man as he righted his brown robes and tried to stand proudly. Miroku stood staring, gaping for only a brief moment before hurrying to the drunkard with a cry of "Master Mushin!"

He caught the old man just as his knees gave way, propping his weight up against him with all the gentleness he could muster. It had been so long….

"Miroku," Sango breathed beside him, watching as he helped the inebriated man to stand, "do you know him?"

"Master Mushin… he trained me to be a monk." His blue eyes met Sango's, a war of painful memories waging in their depths, and finding his voice again, he said softly "This man raised me after Father died. I… I thought he'd died too."

Bleary eyes turned to face Miroku, the old man smacking his whiskered lips as he garbled "M-Miroku? Z'at you, m'boy? 'Bout time you came t'see your master. Not an ounce o' discipline in you, boy. You'll need retrainin'… may as well turn in your monks robes for western slacks."

Miroku smiled at the old monk's babbling, motioning for Sango to support his other side as he said "We'll get you home Mushin, just tell us the way."

"Is that really such a good idea, Miroku?" Sango asked nervously, "I mean he's a little… drunk."

"Don't worry about Master Mushin, my dear Sango!" Miroku said, feeling as though a weight had lifted off him, a weight he'd forgotten he carried; "he's always drunk."

And with Mushin's slurred and confusing directions, they meandered through the alleys lit by gas-lamps, a little bit of luck finally smiling upon them.

* * *

*Author's Note:

So... it's been like three months. I am SO. SORRY.

I have NOT abandoned this story, I've just been on summer vacation and have had absolutely ZERO motivation or inspiration. It was quite the crappy summer, tbh. Anyways, now that classes have started up again and my mind is going a mile a minute, it seems I've finally got my writing groove back on. So wish me luck on continuing and eventually finishing this and all my other multi-chapter aus! (*crying*)

Anyways, thank you so much for all the continued support! It means the world to me! (and keeps me going when it's midnight and I'm ripping my hair out over all my stories)


	4. Consequences

~Freak Attraction: Seven-Man Circus~

Chapter Four: Consequences

* * *

"Kagome… talk to me."

Lifting her head slightly from the lumpy pillow of their cot, Kagome looked over her shoulder to see the off-white of Inuyasha's night-robe, his shoulders tensed where he lay on his side. "Talk to you? About what?"

"Anything" came his clipped reply, and Kagome felt a seed of worry taking root inside her. Since his first 'performance' had ended that night and they'd brought the evening meal to Jinenji and the others, Inuyasha had been his usual gruff self, only remarking briefly how glad he was for that night to be over. They'd returned to their tent and silently prepared for bed, fidgeting awkwardly as they settled next to each other on their shared cot. She'd thought he would be eager to get a good night's rest before their presence was demanded again in the morning; the fact that he wanted to talk was troubling.

"Inuyasha?" She questioned softly, sitting up and leaning over his hunched form. She couldn't see his eyes under his thick white bangs, but she could see the frown marring his features. He didn't respond at first, and she wondered if he would let it go and try to get some sleep, but instead he rasped "Just talk to me, okay?"

Hesitantly, Kagome started "I hope Miroku and Sango found a place to stay…"

"Not about them" he cut her off briskly, and Kagome had to bite her lip to keep from snapping back. He was the one demanding she talk in the first place! "And not about the circus either… I just… wanna think of something else right now."

So that was it – despite his boisterous attitude, he was more deeply affected by everything than he let on. She kicked herself for not having seen it sooner. Bringing her hand to his shoulder, she gently rubbed circles through the fabric of his robe, trying to ease away some of his tension. He stiffened briefly at the contact, but soon relaxed and continued in a softer voice "All these half-demons… whatever's wrong with 'em, they seem to turn into whatever that creep Jakotsu says they are. They don't got wills of their own. I don't ever wanna forget myself like they have. … I don't wanna become their _Inugami_ , Kagome."

"You won't" she responded firmly, leaning further down to lightly kiss his cheek, "you've got me here. I'd never give you up to them."

Inuyasha turned his head slightly to meet her eye, the faintest hint of a smirk on his lips as he teased "Thanks, wife." She blushed and huffed and he grinned more broadly at her, turning back on his side and saying gruffly "I wasn't kidding though. I need you to talk to me. Talk about the weather, I don't care, just… something."

Failing to come up with a topic off the top of her head, Kagome scanned the tent, desperately searching for a conversation starter. They'd tidied up a great deal earlier in the day, making the tent look a little more like a room and less like storage. Her eyes fell on the rickety cabinet they'd been keeping their belongings in, the old black cap perched on top catching her eye. A thought struck her, and she voiced it before it flew away. "That hat we gave you to wear… did I ever tell you it was my father's?"

She glanced down as she felt Inuyasha shift beside her, his eyes wide and expression intrigued as he looked up at her. "No, you didn't."

Kagome settled back down to her pillow, and Inuyasha moved to lie on his back, eyes still intently on her face. "He was a soldier" she said, responding to his unspoken question, "The government put together an army to take down the last rebellion of Samurai from the Satsuma region… they'd been opposing the new government. My father was more of a scholar than a fighter, but the government didn't really give him a choice. My mother always said that he never complained though; he loved Japan and wanted to see the country united. A battle wasn't really the way he wanted that to happen, but… it couldn't be helped, I guess. Either way… he lost his life pretty early in the fighting. Souta had only just been born when it happened."

"Sorry" Inuyasha mumbled, "I didn't mean you should talk about sad stuff…."

"It's alright" Kagome responded, smiling, "It's been a long time… about ten years, actually. I was young when he died, but I still have a few good memories of him."

Kagome's breath caught as she felt claws brushing her palm, and looked down to see Inuyasha's long fingers wrapping firmly around her hand. "So then… you lost your dad… about the same time that I lost Mother." Her eyes went wide – that had never crossed her mind, though he was right. But while she'd still had family to keep her going after losing a parent… he'd been thrown in a cage.

"Oh Inuyasha… I didn't mean to remind you of that…."

But he only shrugged, still holding her hand, and said calmly "Don't worry about it. I mean, before I met you it was still a sore subject, but Mother's been avenged. It's kinda funny though…" he lifted his free hand to gesture at their wardrobe and said lightly "I still carry her coat, you still carry his cap."

Smiling and squeezing the hand that held hers, Kagome said teasingly "It looks better on you though."

"So what happened with the battle?" Inuyasha said quickly, averting his eyes from hers, though he couldn't hide the slight smile at her compliment. "Who won?"

"The government of course" she responded, moving their joined hands so she could hold his against her cheek. Inuyasha was hit with a wave of nostalgia, remembering a cold autumn morning where she held his hand in such a way. That morning, he nearly made the biggest mistake of his life in trying to leave this amazing girl behind. He owed his eternal gratitude to whatever gods had foiled that plan. "The samurai were outnumbered, and out-resourced. A katana's not much use against a rifle."

"Tetsusaiga could beat a rifle, any day." Inuyasha said boastfully, growling as he continued "Damn, but I wish I had my sword. Even broken, I'd feel better with it nearby."

"I know, but there's nothing we can do about that now." A yawn broke through her words, and Kagome's eyes fluttered closed as she leaned further against her pillow and Inuyasha's hand. "Anyways… the leader of the rebellion committed Seppuku, and the samurai class was officially ended. No one really seemed to mind when it was gone."

"Hmph… ritual suicide…" Inuyasha mused, staring up at their cloth ceiling, "Not a bad way to go. If I have to spend many more nights as Jakotsu's obedient dog, I might just follow that guy's example."

"No you will not" Kagome snapped, her eyes still closed and fingers tightening on his. "Who would protect me from the rest of these creepers if you did?"

"You've got a point" Inuyasha mused, turning to watch as Kagome's breathing evened out and sleep crept over her. "You owe me big time for this though."

The tiniest of smiles quirked her lips as she settled in further, and a tired mumble of "I'll make it up to you" was all she said before finally succumbing to her exhaustion. Stroking her fingers lightly with his own, Inuyasha lay awake for a while longer, breathing in her scent and listening to her heart beat until she finally lulled him into his own rest.

* * *

"Pass me that bottle of Sake, m'boy."

Miroku resolutely moved the ceramic bottle even further away from his former master. "You've drunk nearly all of it and it's not even mid-day. No wonder that man threw you out last night!"

"You've grown cheeky since last I saw you" Mushin said tightly, his forlorn gaze still trained on the bottle, "I never would have thought a disciple of mine could be so cruel as to *hic*… deny an old man his pleasures."

"Alright, you can have some more," Miroku tauntingly held the bottle within arm's reach of the old man only to pull it back at the last second and add " _after_ you've helped us plan."

"And what use would an old drunkard be to you anyway?" Mushin groused, his voice less slurring than it had been before.

"Honestly, we could use any help we can get at this point" Sango said, her hand stroking through Kirara's fur as the cat dozed on her lap. "We're unfamiliar with the area, and all we know of the circus is what we saw last night."

"That's all anyone knows about them, really" Mushin said as he stroked his round chin, "One day their flyers were being passed around the town, the next they were performing. They must have come from the sea, but with all the boats that come to port each day, it'd be impossible to know where they came from, or how long they've been here!"

Miroku sat in thought for a moment, absently swirling the sake bottle and unknowingly distracting his master. "Is there any chance their boat would still be in the harbor?"

"What?" Mushin answered quickly, his eyes drawn back to the younger man, "Oh no no no… in all likelihood they paid for passage from someone else. There aren't nearly enough members of their troupe skilled enough to pilot a vessel. No, it's likely that whatever ship brought them here has already loaded its next shipment of cargo and sailed off. You'll have to look somewhere else for answers."

"Which is why meeting up with our friends is so important" Sango interjected, "They're finding out what they can from the inside, but we've got to have something to offer them in return. They'll only get so far on their own."

Mushin sighed deeply, brushing a thick hand over his brows and glancing out the open window. "It's a fool's errand" he said dourly, "not one of you has a chance of succeeding."

"Master Mushin, you've seen this circus I assume?" At Mushin's nod, Miroku continued, his voice low, "Then you know why we must do this."

"I know, m'boy. I know." He heaved a sigh, glancing down at his empty Sake bowl in thought. "I'll do what I can to help you. But we're going to have to do something about your rendezvous point. It's no good."

"Why's that?" Sango asked, sharing a confused look with Miroku.

With surprising dexterity, Mushin reached around Miroku, quickly grabbing the Sake bottle before the younger monk could stop him. Sitting back down with a sigh, he poured a mouthful into his shallow bowl, swirling it around and answering "because of the wolves, of course", before downing it in one gulp.

* * *

"Jinenji, how long have you been in this circus?"

The towering half-demon looked down at Kagome as she sat on a box beside him. As soon as she'd come to feed them their midday meal, she'd let them all out of their cages to tend to their weakened bodies. The mermaid girl, whose name was 'Ai' Jinenji had said, was seated on Kagome's lap as she rubbed feeling into the usually bound legs.

"A few years now… almost since the Seven Gods began performing…" Jinenji looked away thoughtfully, nodding as he added "I believe it's been five years."

"Five years…" Kagome repeated, frowning as she tried to warm Ai's bruised legs. A life inside a cage and a tank had almost ruined the little girl's body, and Kagome was sure it was her half-demon abilities that had kept the limbs from simply falling off from disuse. "How have you managed to survive that long in a place like this?"

"It used to be worse" Jinenji answered quietly, and Kagome peered up at him sadly. "For the first year, Shiori and I were the only ones. She was caught a few months after I was… she was so small back then… her tribe of bat-demons were killed by slayers, and her human village turned her out. A scout from the circus found her wandering in the woods, and brought her here…" Pausing, Jinenji shuddered, wrapping his large arms around himself protectively as he continued "They did horrible things to get her to perform, but for a while she was able to fight back. That crystal she carries used to have the ability to create barriers."

Kagome looked over with interest at the black-clad girl, the red crystal in her hands glowing faintly. She still wouldn't respond. Jinenji's deep voice cut through Kagome's thoughts as he said "They managed to crack it though, and she couldn't defend herself anymore. She… she used to cry… at night in her cage, she'd cry for her mother…." His big blue eyes grew glassy, and his head bowed to the ground, his body shaking more as he said in a wobbly voice "I know it's wrong, but I'm almost glad she no longer speaks… I'll never forget her crying."

The half-demon jumped as Kagome laid a hand against his large, scarred arm, a sorrowful expression on her face. Her warm, comforting hand gave him the courage to go on, and with a sniffle he continued "We were always tended to by circus workers, but often they were too scared to come and feed us… we went many nights without a meal, until we were unable to perform and they were forced to bring us food. And then Izumo showed up."

"Izumo's the one who appears human, right?" Kagome glanced about the small clearing where the cages stood, and said thoughtfully "he's never around here. Do they keep him in a cage as well?"

"No, he's free to go wherever he chooses… though I don't think he realizes it."

Kagome nodded; it was just like the younger half-demons. Gently, Kagome moved Ai to sit propped against the box, the little girl having fallen asleep under Kagome's careful ministrations. With a few quiet words she directed the ram-horned boy, Shion, to sit beside her, turning her attention to his hoofed feet which were swollen and red.

Jinenji watched her carefully, and after a moment began again "Once Izumo arrived, they set him up as our caretaker. You see, he _volunteered_ to join the circus. They didn't have to capture him. So even from the start, he was given more freedom than we were."

"Why on earth would he want to join?" Kagome exclaimed, her face disbelieving as she looked about the somber scene.

"Security" Jinenji answered instantly, and Kagome's gaping mouth snapped shut. "There's no place for half-demons in the world anymore. He saw an opportunity for food and shelter, and he took it willingly."

"You… you can't be serious" she whispered, dabbing tenderly at Shion's puffy ankles with a wet cloth.

"It's not so hard to believe. I fear the outside world as well."

Pursing her lips, Kagome kept silent. She didn't like the reasoning, but what could she say? She'd never been in his situation. Swallowing back her angry emotions, she prompted "So things got better after Izumo arrived?"

"Yes… a little" Jinenji answered softly, pausing as he collected his thoughts. "He treated us civilly, but he always kept a bit of distance. He's not like us, see – he gets to be one or the other, demon or human. We're stuck in the middle."

"But you're all half-demons" Kagome said quickly, looking around at the mis-matched circus acts, "even if you look different, you're all alike, deep down. You each had a human parent and a demon parent, you've all struggled… you've all suffered." Looking down at her hands, fingers fumbling with the damp cloth now tinged ruddy brown, she spoke up softly "Don't you think you should work together? Don't you think you should fight back?"

Jinenji stiffened, and his head fell to his hands so suddenly that Kagome felt the air rippling off his massive form. His shoulders shook and his breathing became shallow, and panic filled Kagome as she watched the giant half-demon fall apart before her.

"J-Jinenji… what is it? What's wrong?"

Brilliant blue peaked out between his worn fingers, his gaze unfocused as though lost in a memory. "It's no use… there's no use fighting… it'll only lead to death in the end."

Something was hidden in his words – some deeper anguish that Kagome could sense but not understand. "… Jinenji?"

At her patient prompting, Jinenji's shaking lessened, though his face remained hidden behind his brown hands. "There used to be more of us. When the young ones came, a year ago… there were others. They were homeless, parentless, and had banded together to survive. The Shichifukujin caught them personally. I don't know how many others escaped, but when they brought them to the circus, there were four: Ai, Shion, and two young brothers." A shudder ran through him, and he whimpered. One of Kagome's hands came to rest comfortingly on his arm, the other cradling Shion to her side. Her calming presence gave Jinenji courage to continue. "The boys were too free-spirited. They wouldn't listen to the gods, and refused to perform. You see, they were twins, and looked very much like two halves of a whole. The gods wanted them to play it up, to be like mirror images, and they would pretend to go along with it. But every time they were on stage, they'd do their worst to sabotage the act."

"Good for them" Kagome said proudly. She admired the boys for having backbone enough to stand up against such cruelty, but Jinenji's response froze the budding admiration.

"No Kagome… it wasn't good for them." His striking eyes turned to look at her directly, and Kagome couldn't look away from the smothering pain in them as he continued "the Seven Gods don't stand for obstinacy. When mere punishments didn't work, the gods took matters into their own hands. They made the boys into an entirely new spectacle."

Afraid to ask but desperately needing to know, Kagome swallowed back her fear and whispered "What did they do?"

"They grafted them. Made them conjoined. The 'amazing, two-headed monster'."

Her brain took a moment to process the words, her heart unwilling to comprehend what the half-demon had said. It… it wasn't possible, was it? He couldn't mean what she thought he meant. "But it… it was a trick, right? The way they have Ai wearing that fish suit?"

Jinenji shook his head, lolling slowly from side to side, and answered "You've seen Hotei, haven't you? It seems to be something they enjoy, taking a creature and turning it into something it's not."

Kagome could feel her stomach churning; she could see the metal monster's iron smile in her mind's eye, and she had to shake herself to keep from picturing how the poor, poor boys might have looked, stitched together in the same haphazard way. "What happened to them, Jinenji?"

"They died. None of us really know how. They were in poor health after… after the merging. And they couldn't even tell us if something was wrong."

"Why's that?" Kagome asked shakily.

"The Seven Gods gave them something – something that kept them from responding or moving on their own." Jinenji's gaze drifted, shadows of memory darkening the bright blue of his eyes. "It was like they were numb, but you could see in their eyes… you could see they were still in there. They were still fighting."

Blinking away hot tears, Kagome set the now sleeping Shion gently on the ground beside Ai. She stared resolutely at the dirt beneath her feet as Jinenji continued in a shaking voice "One day we awoke to find them dead in their cage. No signs of struggle, or excessive strain. I wonder, sometimes, if they finally gave up… if that's what did it for them. They looked so peaceful…."

A hiccupping sob wrenched from her throat, and Kagome doubled over as waves of sorrow which she could no longer stem washed over her. Jinenji's round eyes grew wider and he fidgeted in his seat, not quite knowing what to do. In her current state, Kagome didn't notice or even care. The very thought of such brutality, carried out against children at that… it was too much for her to take in.

"I'm so sorry, Kagome… I should never have brought it up!"

But she only cried harder at his apologies. It was wrong… it was all so very wrong. "Don't apologize" she managed between sobs, "You've done nothing wrong… I just…" She brought a hand to her mouth to stifle her cries, "I can't believe… that you could all be so mistreated… and that no one would do a thing to help…."

"But… it's alright now… you're here to help us!" Awkwardly Jinenji patted her tiny shoulder with his large hand, flinching as she leaned over suddenly to cry against his tattered robe. Fidgeting uncertainly, Jinenji glanced about their small encampment for some sign as to what to do; it was with surprise and great relief that he spotted the approaching white and black figure of Inuyasha.

"Oi! What the hell is goin' on here!?"

At the familiar angry tone, Kagome lifted her teary face from her flustered friend and locked eyes with a very worried Inuyasha. With a cry of his name she was up and in his arms, shaking as he held her to his bare chest. He was sweaty and dirty from training, but Kagome couldn't have cared less as she pressed herself tightly to him. "What happened, Kagome? What's got you all upset?" He glanced over her head at the row of half-demons and Jinenji watching nervously, his tone turning suspicious as he asked "Did they do anything to you?"

"No, no it's nothing like that" she answered, wiping her tears away with the back of her hands, "I just… learned some things… things you need to know… but… I wish I'd never heard them."

Over her sniffling, she heard Inuyasha give a relieved sigh. "That all? Sheesh, and you had me all worried!"

"It's serious, Inuyasha, believe me." Kagome whispered somberly, and Inuyasha scoffed in response.

"Well I should damn-well hope so! I ran out in the middle of practice 'cause I could hear you crying-"

"You what?" Kagome's tears dried as panic gripped her, confusing Inuyasha further.

"Well yeah… I mean, it's hard to smell your tears over the salt air, but I could hear you pretty clearly, and –"

"No, I mean… you left practice?" Fearful eyes met his puzzled yellow gaze as Kagome gripped his arms tightly. "Don't, Inuyasha. You can't defy them like that. Please…" her hands shook and her voice wobbled as she continued quietly "Please don't do it again. I can take care of myself. _You're_ the one who needs to be careful."

Inuyasha's face turned incredulous, his tone disbelieving as he said "You can't be serious. Do you hear yourself? Why do you think we're here in the first place?"

Kagome shushed him loudly, and just as he was about to protest she brought a finger to his lips, effectively shocking him into silence as she whispered "I'll explain tonight, but for now… you have to trust me. Please… I'm just worried about your safety."

His anger had yet to subside, but just as he opened his mouth to retort, an angry cry sounded across the compound.

"HEY! Inugami! Who said you could leave?!"

A growl rose up in Inuaysha's throat, and he held Kagome tighter as Jakotsu came running up to them. The circus god's expression was beyond livid, the air around him crackling with rage. Kagome had up until that point passed the man off as nothing but an odd entertainer with a liking for snakes, but the man before her now… this man was dangerous. Her thoughts drifted back to the mutilated twins, and suddenly she could understand how such a thing had occurred. They couldn't afford to underestimate these men.

"This training is not a game! You've thrown us all off schedule with your little stunt! And you!" Turning hate-filled eyes on Kagome, Jakotsu hissed "It's just like you pathetic women to pull a man away from his duties. I knew you would be trouble, I just knew it!"

"Dammit, leave her outta this!" Pushing her slightly behind him, Inuyasha faced down the angry performer with a steely expression. "I ran off on my own, it's got nothing to do with her. I was just sick of lookin' at you, is all."

Jakotsu stood sputtering for a moment, his face becoming a rage-filled red, and pointing an accusatory finger he bellowed "NO MEAL! EXTRA LESSONS! You report to me after the show tonight, and don't even THINK of running off, or your little woman will PAY for it!"

Inuyasha's gaze hardened, and he turned away from the fuming Jakotsu to give Kagome a searching look. "Later" she whispered, just loud enough for his dog-ears to catch, "I'll meet with the others. Do as he says."

She could tell he didn't like it, but thankfully he didn't fight her further. As Jakotsu threw out another angry order, Inuyasha responded gruffly "Alright, alright, just let me say goodbye." He turned to look at her suddenly, and Kagome wondered at the tiny smirk tweaking his lips as he said "Since I'm not gonna see you for a while…" He didn't give her time to think further as he roughly grabbed her to him and mashed his lips against hers. Kagome's feet dangled in the air as he held her in his strong grip, the fevered massage of his tongue in her mouth making her forget all the horrid things she'd heard that afternoon. He'd never kissed her so roughly before, and although Kagome suspected it was more to prove a point than anything, she swathed her arms around his neck and enjoyed the moment.

All too soon her feet met the hard dirt and Inuyasha was walking off with an angry shout at his circus trainer who trailed behind, moping. Her eyes followed his retreating figure till he finally turned the corner, a smile worming onto her face as she wiped her mouth from his sloppy kiss. A rustle of movement behind her drew her attention, and with sudden terror she remembered where she was and what had just happened. Wide eyes turned slowly to face her captive audience, and Kagome blushed furiously to see them all watching attentively, Jinenji's cheeks sporting red. Smoothing out her skirt and staring resolutely at the ground, Kagome hurried back to the little group to finish tending to them in silence.

* * *

"Heel, Inugami, heel! Obey your master!"

The snake-sword whipped out above Inuyasha's head again, and despite his vicious growling, he stayed prone on all fours. The audience gasped in fright as he lunged forward, but the snap of the sword against the stage floor in front of him halted his advance. Kagome cringed from her spot among the crowd; Jakotsu wasn't pulling hits like the night before. Inuyasha must have really set him off earlier. The half-demon narrowly missed getting an arm cut off by the blades, and Kagome was forced to look away as she felt a pulsing in her spiritual aura. She wanted to save him, keep him away from all this torture and humiliation, but if they wanted to have any hope of getting the half-demons out safely, she couldn't do a thing to help him. He understood that, but it didn't make watching him take all this abuse any easier.

The show ended with the 'Inugami' bowed in reverence to the god Benzaiten, the crowd clapping appreciatively at the god's taming of the monster. Once Kagome saw Jakotsu herding Inuyasha backstage, she took her chance. Losing herself in the throng of guests leaving the grounds, she followed her cover to the outer gates, carefully avoiding eye contact with any of the circus workers, and then quickly slipped off to the side. The sky was already dark and the pinpricks of light grew brighter as she traveled farther from the gas lamps. As the light dimmed and the sound of the crowd grew fainter, she stuck close to the circus wall to guide her wandering. Her hand traced the grooves of the wood posts as she passed, trying to keep track of how many went by and how far she traveled. They'd planned for her to leave this way, and for him to catch up later; but that had been before he'd incurred the god's wrath and punishment of extra training. Kagome had no idea when he'd finally join her, and she didn't want to get too far away in case he lost her scent.

The woods were looming up on her as she neared the slopes of the nearby mountains, and the air grew less salty as the wind met the trees. Wrapping her arms around herself to stave off the cold night air, Kagome found herself wishing for her shawl. She'd only had time to bring the half-demons their meal right after they'd performed, and any thought of personal comforts had been lost in her anxiety to get back to the crowd and get to her secret rendezvous. Her plans with Miroku and Sango had been shaky at best, and the fact that she'd yet to come across the two was worrying. She knew Kirara could sniff her out, and she'd certainly sense the demon cat once it got close, but it could still be hours before they found a chance to come, and every second away from the camp put Inuyasha and the other half demons at risk.

The hum of noise from the harbor town grew fainter and fainter as she walked, but the forest noises were weak and hardly filled the void, leaving the air eerily silent. The occasional rustle of some creature in the low brush made Kagome tense, but she held herself together and continued a little deeper into the woods. She kept the wood wall of the circus in sight at all times, not trusting her feet to remember the way back through the tall shadows of tree trunks. The air was thicker under the canopy, and Kagome drew in a deep breath at the sudden claustrophobic setting. Fear trickled over her skin, and Kagome wished she'd waited for Inuyasha, or waited another night. A little delay in their plans wouldn't hurt, would it? But then she remembered the two boys, the way they'd suffered with no one to support their cause and no one to fight their battle, and her resolve strengthened. She had to find Miroku and Sango – they had to get help. To try and defeat the seven lucky gods on their own would be suicide.

A low howl rent the air around her, tearing a gasp from her throat as Kagome spun round, eyes darting about the darkness for any sign of life. The cry was long and animalistic, but sounded distant. 'It must be a wolf', she pondered, 'there are mountains nearby, so it's no wonder there'd be wolves too. Probably not close enough to be a problem.' But then another howl broke the stillness, and Kagome's skin prickled at how much closer it seemed than the first. Slowly, she began backing away, eyes darting to the fence and then scanning out into the darkness. Primal fear set in, a deep-rooted instinct telling her to run from the threat of predators. She'd faced demons and evil men and stood firm against them, but the darkness and stillness and her absolute vulnerability left her shaking.

Stepping back, her foot snapped a twig, and the sharp echo of it froze her to the spot. Her breathing stilled, and she strained her ears to listen for anymore howls or crunching underbrush. Nothing so much as stirred, and Kagome let her breath go in a shaky sigh of relief. A feeling crept over her mind then, thick and inky black, and she recognized it as a strong demonic aura. Elation swept through her, sure that Miroku and Sango were coming to meet her, to save her from the hungry wolves surely pressing in on her now. She turned quickly and fled towards the aura, no longer caring about drawing attention as she fought to get to her friends. It was so strong now, almost overpowering, as if she were right next to it. She hardly had time to think that Kirara's aura had never felt this way, when suddenly she collided with a solid figure, hands grabbing her arms to keep her from toppling over.

Hopeful eyes looked up to her rescuer, part of her wishing it was Inuyasha come to take her back, but it was blue she saw shining in the dark and not gold. An angry growl that was certainly not her half-demon erupted from the figure. Her thoughts went blank, her body froze, her heart skipped a beat, and she opened her mouth wide to scream. The sound never left her as suddenly the figure spun her around, keeping her locked in place with a thick arm as the other clamped over her mouth too strongly to bite. Growls sounded in her ear as the figure leaned over and whispered harshly "Worthless human, I should kill you! You reek of the scent of those circus freaks. I'll bet they sent you out to gather more of my wolves, right? Let's see how they like it when I take something of theirs!"

With that he lifted her off her feet, sweeping her away from the circus wall and speeding off at impossible speeds. Real fear gripped her at the thought that he might take her out of even Inuyasha's sensory range, and with a muffled cry she fought back against the stranger's hold, punching and pulling and jabbing as hard as she could. As her emotions raged, her vision turned pink, and a shock went through her body, effectively stopping her kidnapper as he yelped and fell to the ground. She tumbled away from him, gasping for breath on her hands and knees as she waited for her head to stop spinning. Alert eyes tracked across the moonlit brush of the forest floor to the figure hissing in pain. From what she could tell he appeared human, and although the light was poor, she could pick up a difference in texture that told her he was wearing fur. But the intense aura was unmistakable, and Kagome knew that no matter how human he appeared, this was definitely a demon. That was alright though – she could handle demons. One blast of her purifying energy would have him burning to ash as the centipede-woman at Naraku's circus had done.

But she didn't attack him further just yet; he was in no position to grab her again, and from what she could tell, he seemed to be alone. Kagome didn't believe much in first impressions; people (or demons in this case) were never what they appeared to be. Her racing heart calming, Kagome rose to her feet and slowly approached the dark shape of the man still struggling for breath on the forest floor. He lifted his head to glare blearily at her, the bright blue of his eyes full of fierce emotion and a strong will, and Kagome decided to give him a chance. "I'm not going to hurt you, as long as you don't attack me again."

Those blue eyes focused warily on her, and she added softly "You must have had a reason to try and kidnap me, and I want to know what it is. I've never seen you before and certainly never done anything to hurt you, so I think you owe me an explanation." The man growled faintly at her, but it was without real threat, as though he knew that there really wasn't much he could do to her in his current state.

"I don't owe you anything, human" he spat, his voice deep and ragged, "I know you work for those murdering clowns – you're from their circus, I can smell it."

"But what you can't smell" Kagome said evenly, kneeling down before him in the dirt, making sure to stay out of range of his claws, "is that I don't like them anymore than you seem to. In fact…" her voice grew softer, as if the very trees around them might hear her and give them away, and she couldn't help a bit of excitement as she whispered, "if you'll just hear me out, I think we might be able to help each other."

* * *

Inuyasha cursed as he once again lost Kagome's scent. The sea air was wreaking havoc on his nose, and she'd already been away for hours, leaving a stale trail to follow. He should have told her not to go – told her to just wait to meet Miroku and Sango another night. Those two could waste their time waiting for a week for all he cared; a little piece of information wasn't worth Kagome's safety.

He threw a few colorful words in for Jakotsu too. The freak had made him do dog tricks as punishment after the show, and although he'd said it would eventually be part of the act, Inuyasha didn't miss the sick thrill on his captor's face every time he had him begrudgingly beg like a dumb animal. Humiliation was nothing new for Inuyasha, but never before had it come at his own choosing. He trusted Kagome and knew she had some reason for not wanting him to fight back, and if he really needed to he would defend himself, but he'd feel a lot better about letting himself be made a fool if he understood why he was doing it.

Walking along the inside wall of the encampment and sniffing intently, Inuyasha perked as suddenly he caught faint traces of Kagome's scent. A quick hop over the wooden fence and he found the beginning of her trail, clinging to the wooden posts where she'd touched them. His nose twitched as he traced the scent from post to post, eventually dropping to the ground as her hands left the wall and her feet wandered away. He could smell it leading away further into the woods, and he followed, grateful that the thick tree brush obscured some of the salty breeze, making scents easier to catch. He stopped in a patch of dirt far beneath the forest canopy, her scent stronger here as though she had lingered, and he almost smiled in triumph at having finally caught on to something useful.

Catching it lead off in another direction, he followed eagerly, but after only a few more steps he froze, nose working frantically to place several scents that were drawing closer to the spot, and to a scent as faint as hers, and unmistakably interwoven: wolves. And if his sensitive nose wasn't mistaken, there was a demon wolf among them. His blood boiled in fear and rage and self-hate to realize that just as the scent of wolf faded further into the forest, so did Kagome's. He'd let her go off on her own – and she'd been taken. If anything happened to her because those stupid gods had kept him away…. He couldn't smell any blood, but it was only a matter of time – and time was something he wouldn't waste any longer. Drawing the scent of the wolves and Kagome deeply into his lungs, Inuyasha growled in pure predatory fervor, and sped away into the dark woods after them.

* * *

"M-Milord, a visitor for you."

Jaken cowered under Sesshomarus' piercing gaze; he'd unwittingly interrupted yet another spat between the stately dog-demon and his ungrateful guest, and both he and the wind-demoness looked ready to send him through the roof.

"My, aren't you popular today" Kagura said cheekily, tapping a fan against her shoulder with more force than necessary, "Must be nice to have friends."

"Friends are made in weakness" Sesshomaru said in icy tones, brushing past her without a glance. "I do not have 'friends', I have allies and subordinates."

"And me" Kagura quipped, "because I am neither of those."

"I am well aware" Sesshomaru responded, his tone less cold. If Jaken had dared linger on the thought, he would have said his lord sounded almost amused in his reply. But the imp didn't dare think it. Coming to stand before his miniscule attendant, Sesshomaru said brusquely "Who is it who's come to see me?"

"An old man, sire. He says he's an old frien- uh, acquaintance."

Sesshomaru merely arched an eyebrow in question, and Jaken hurried to explain "He said you'd recognize the name – uh, Totosai I believe it was. He's come to ask you about something."

"Did you not enquire what it was he wanted before coming to waste my time?" The ice was back in his voice, and Jaken belatedly realized he was on track for a beating. "I did, I did!" He answered quickly, "but the old man would not say exactly. Only… he said he needed your help finding someone, and seemed to think you'd be willing to do it."

Scoffing, Sesshomaru said blithely "Totosai is a fool if he thinks I'll assist him after all his failures. I owe the old man nothing."

Jaken's nervous voice spoke up once more, sweat beading at his temples and tiny body trembling as he stuttered "A-actually, there, uh… there's one more thing…." He gulped as Sesshomaru looked down at him with an intense yellow stare, and somehow managed to find the words "The old man brought something with him, and… well I can't say for certain, but….. I do believe… I mean it very much looks like…. Milord, I believe he's brought back Tetsusaiga."

* * *

*Author's Note:

Ooooookay... long overdue. But I've planned out all the chapters from here on out, so... yeah that doesn't mean much, other than I"M STILL WORKING ON THIS! IT WILL BE FINISHED! Promise. I've just had a horrible horrible semester and I haven't had time for much of anything.

Anyways... new character... and new ally? And how will Inuyasha react when he finally finds his 'wife'? ;3 Well you can be certain it's not gonna go over well.


	5. Forest Encounters

~Freak Attraction: Seven-Man Circus~

Chapter Five: Forest Encounters

* * *

"You expect me to believe" the demon began in a deep timbre, blue eyes peeking through wisps of brown hair, "that you would live in enemy territory… put your life in danger… to save the lives of _halfbreeds_?"

"You know, it's exactly that type of attitude that keeps causing me trouble" Kagome quipped, arranging herself on the moon-speckled grass across from her captor. The wolf-demon had recovered from his earlier brush with her powers, but thankfully hadn't attempted to drag her away again. Instead he'd listened in silence to the short version of her tale, looking more confused with every word. "At any rate, you have to agree it'd make more sense for us to be allies than enemies."

But the demon scoffed, his eyes full of mistrust as he growled "And why should I put my faith in a human girl who couldn't even protect herself from being carted off like a boar? While you're wasting time scrubbing cages, my pack is being bewitched and devoured."

"And what have you been doing?" Kagome responded without missing a beat. "I haven't heard of any wolves breaking into the circus, or any attempts to get the captured ones out. At least I'm being productive."

"You think I haven't tried?" he spat, fangs glinting dangerously in the moonlight, "You think I don't have the skills to beat a few freaks? Don't underestimate the power of a _real_ demon."

Kagome bit her tongue to keep another snippy response at bay. His cocky attitude was starting to grate her nerves; a seed of frustration had been growing since their first day in Yokohama, ever since Inuyasha threw her on a train to send her away for her own good, and this demon's complete dismissal of her had that seed sprouting into a gnarled and bitter vine. Forcing a deep, calming breath, Kagome desperately pushed back her growing anger before opening her mouth to respond. "If you really want to protect your wolves" she said slowly, waiting for their eyes to meet, "then let us help you. You can't expect to take on the whole circus by yourself – you're outnumbered."

"I've slaughtered whole villages, evaded every last group of slayers, and you think a puny little group of humans would be enough to-"

"LISTEN TO ME!"

The demon's mouth shut with a snap, his eyes locked onto the fuming young woman leaning towards him. Her dark hair framed by sky and stars fell over her shoulders as she gathered her temper, eyes pinching shut as she breathed heavily in and out through her nose. When she opened her eyes again to see her companion, she was faced with a very different expression than before.

"Do you want to help your wolves, or not? Because your attitude is getting us nowhere." The wolf didn't respond, only stared at her with something akin to awe, so Kagome plowed on "I'll tell you what I know, and you tell me what you know, and together we'll find a way to both get what we want."

He watched her in contemplation, seeming to have recovered from her outburst, until finally his lip turned up in a surprising smirk. "I think I can live with that" he said in a voice smooth as silk, "but if we're going to work together, I think we should get a little more acquainted." He flashed her a grin of shining fangs, his head tilting back to regard her with hooded eyes as he said "The name's Kouga. What's yours?"

"Kagome" she answered quickly, caught completely off guard by the drastic change in the demon. She was happy to be rid of the growling and posturing, but somehow… somehow this new 'Kouga' seemed a lot more _wolfish_ than the old one.

* * *

"What are you sensing?" Pushing aside a low branch, Kagome stumbled after Kouga in the darkness, following as closely as she could as he cut a path through the brush.

"My wolves are gathering" he answered, glancing back to see her trip over another hidden root.

Kagome was just about to growl out in frustration when sudden pressure closed her in, and she was lifted gasping off of her feet and into Kouga's arms. His blue eyes glinted in the moonlight as he gave her another arrogant smirk and whispered in sultry tones "Don't worry – I've got you."

Keeping her arms tucked close to her body, trying her best to be as small and unassuming as possible, Kagome fought down her blush as she thought 'that's just what I'm worried about.' Despite her embarrassment, the new arrangement allowed them to move much quicker through the darkness, Kouga's demon eyes just as used to the dim light as Inuyasha's always were. The thought of Inuyasha had a whole new level of worry coursing through Kagome's mind: was he alright? Had Jakotsu's training hurt him at all? Would he be able to find her, or would he be caught trying to escape? She had no doubt that Kouga would return her to the circus in one piece; she only hoped Inuyasha wouldn't be in too bad of shape when she got there.

"Found 'em" Kouga whispered, coming to a sudden stop that had Kagome's stomach lurching painfully. The ride had never been so rough on Inuyasha's back. Placing her beside him in a patch of tall grass, Kouga knelt and pushed the blades aside to reveal a clear patch of grass ringed with trees. Kagome kept as silent as she could, listening in petrified anticipation for the arrival of the rogue wolves. She heard their panting breaths first, and then the thumps of their paws on the forest floor as they stepped into the glade.

"They don't even know I'm here…" Kouga muttered, and Kagome turned to see him looking spooked. "Something's drawn them aside from scent." He turned to briefly meet her confused glance, and she whispered "but what would lead them he-Mmph!" Kouga's hand slapped over her mouth just as another sound made itself known across the clearing. Kagome didn't even have time to glare at the demon-man or adjust her balance before Kouga had moved both of them deeper into the brush, away from the edge of the clearing. His hand never left her mouth, but Kagome found herself distracted by something else: a lumbering figure entering the glade, and the bright white light accompanying it.

It was Kyoukotsu – Kagome had taken to helping Jinenji gather the wooden beams used by the god for his opening act, and she remembered the name of the giant well. Given his show-stopper was wolf-swallowing, it was no surprise to the young woman to see him at the would-be crime scene. But the other figure… this was someone new. From the blinding white of apparel, hair and skin, Kagome had a hard time distinguishing one feature from the next, but from what she could tell, it looked to be no more than a young girl dressed in a ceremonial kimono. Sharply cut bangs framed an emotionless face, and small hands clutched a round, ornate mirror before her, directly facing the dazed wolf pack. A throaty chuckle from the giant man was all the warning given before the mirror glowed bright, and vaporous tendrils shot out toward the wolves. Kouga lurched at the sight, but didn't dare move from his hiding place; it was far too late to help though, as the threads of light had reached the animals and left them dropping one by one to slink back with glowing orbs in tow.

'Their souls…' Kagome's head spun with realization. 'She took their souls. Is that… Is that how they keep bringing back dead wolves? Creating a false body for Kyoukotsu to eat and filling it with an old soul?' Her stomach churned, memories surfacing of how Kikyo's apparition had been similarly revived through bones and a soul. It was unnerving, thinking of such deep magic being used on something so wasteful… all for a stupid carnival trick….

There was movement in the glade again – Kyoukotsu had stooped to gather the lifeless wolves, slinging them over his arms like fur pelts and saying in a gravelly voice to his companion "Faster work next time, Kanna. Not so good a haul tonight. Too many escaped the spell, and now they'll spread word to the others."

Kagome turned, ready to motion to Kouga that now was their chance to escape, but he was already standing – already advancing. She watched shaking as he stepped boldly through the bushes and brush still hiding her from sight, a long fur which almost looked to be a tail swishing from his belt in agitation. She saw his fingers flex, claws glinting in the moonlight, and heard an ominous growl.

"You cretins… you dare attack my pack so shamelessly, to use them like cattle for your demented little town-festival?!"

The giant man turned toward the wolf-demon with a grimace, as though Kouga were a buzzing cicada disrupting his sleep and murmured "What is he? Any use for him?"

Kagome barely heard the answering whisper from the white-haired girl as her soft voice carried back on the wind "He is a demon."

Kyoukotsu scoffed, turning his back on the simmering Kouga to stalk away into the woods. "You deal with him then. Brother Bankotsu wants few of your kind around as is."

"Don't turn your back on me, coward!" But the giant laughed off Kouga's outburst, the girl Kanna walking slowly to stand in Kouga's path, blocking him from chasing after the circus-god. "Get out of my way, little girl" Kouga growled, unfurling his claws for effect, "I've never shown mercy to fools who get in my way – don't expect me to make an exception now."

There was no response from the child, not even a change in expression, and it only enraged Kouga further. Looking above her, he watched the staggering figure disappearing into the dense forest with the disappearing scent of his wolves, the smell of death and decay heavy in the air of the clearing, and a snarl ripped up through his throat. Without a word of warning he charged, claws raised to tear straight through the young girl's heart.

Kagome clutched a hand over her mouth to stifle a silent scream as she watched the demon launch an attack on the defenseless child. There was nothing she could do to halt the murderous intent of his claws – but then the mirror glowed, and a burst of light filled the space between attacker and victim just as his claws swiped down in a long arc. Before either human or demon knew what had happened, Kouga was sent hurtling across the clearing to hit the solid trunk of a tree.

Silence descended on the forest as the wolf-demon's knees buckled and he fell in a heap at the tree's roots. Shock froze Kagome in place, warring with the need to help. Kanna calmly lowered her dimmed mirror, turned, and walked without even the sound of crunching leaves into the dense tree-line after the circus performer.

Kagome waited until the last glimmer of white disappeared before turning her attention back to the beaten Kouga. Even from her distance she could tell he was breathing hard, a shaky hand reaching to his torso where it seemed he'd been hurt. His head rose to her hiding place, hazy blue sending her a silent plea for help, and she answered immediately. Without a thought she cut through the edging brush and across the clearing until she was kneeling at his side, carefully moving his hand away to take a look at his injury. A startled gasp broke from her to see what looked like claw marks stretching across his torso, and she met Kouga's blue eyes with confusion.

"I don't know how" he managed through heavy breaths, "but that little witch sent my own attack back at me." He winced as she pulled aside his torn and bloody linen kosode to see how deep the cuts ran. She didn't know much about demon healing, but had he been Inuyasha, these wouldn't have been life-threatening. Still… she bet they hurt like hell. "We need to get this bandaged" she said softly, pushing aside part of his fur vest and sleeveless kosode to let the wound breathe. She didn't stop to think about the fact that she was pulling clothes off the man, nor did she notice the growing smile and heavy eyes he was watching her with as she worked; it was any normal day in the circus tending to her injured half-demons, nothing more. At least, until a clawed hand grabbed one of her fidgeting ones and held it gently, stopping her as she reached out for a wide leaf to wipe away some of the blood. She resisted briefly, but when he didn't let go, his thumb instead brushing over her knuckles, her entire body stiffened and the illusion of an impersonal atmosphere vanished.

"Don't bother" he said in a husky whisper. Kagome didn't dare look up at him, her eyes trained on the hand holding hers as if it would strike. She was beginning to think this whole night had been a very, very bad idea. "I'm not like those weak half-demons you're used to. I'll be all healed up by tomorrow night."

"I'm sure you will" she said through a forced smile that she hoped didn't look as much like a grimace as it felt, "but if you keep bleeding like that it's going to attract attention, and there might be other demons wandering around out here. I'm sure you don't want anything else attacking us, right?

She glanced up at his face, but he merely shrugged and looked away with a hint of a smirk on his lips, throwing out a nonchalant "It's not like we're surrounded by enemies; my pack and I are the top predators around. We might as well find a cave or den somewhere nearby and hold up for the night. No sense wasting more energy until this wound is healed."

The silence following that statement dragged on so long that Kouga was prompted to look back at the girl sitting in front of him, leaves clutched in one hand, her eyes hard and containing just a hint of panic. "We're not staying out here." Her forceful words had the wolf-demon slinking back into the bark of the tree behind him. "You're taking me back to the circus. Tonight." Swallowing back some of his anxiousness, the wolf-demon tried to regain his cool by asking softly "You sure? It'd be a lot safer with me, y'know. I can protect you from those circus freaks." The look she gave him was too patronizing for his tastes, and he sat up with a growl, trying not to wince as the gashes on his torso stretched. "I'm serious, I don't want you going back there! A human like you shouldn't be trying to handle this on your own."

"I told you" she answered in a measured tone, pushing him back less gently than she might have normally to wipe the seeping blood away, "I'm not alone. My friend and I-"

"So what? Two humans aren't going to be any better against those monsters than-"

"He's not human."

Kagome almost sighed in relief at the sudden silence that followed, glad that _something_ had stopped Kouga's little power-trip. Still… she wasn't sure just how much to tell the demon. It would be good to get his help, but she had been wondering just how far he could really be trusted as an ally. She was anxious to get Inuyasha's opinion on the matter, and the sooner she got Kouga patched up, the sooner he could take her back to the half-demon.

"What, you already have a demon protector? Is that why you're so sure of yourself?"

There was a little twinge of offense in Kouga's voice, and Kagome kept her eyes trained on the clotting wound, head spinning as she tried to figure out what he was so worked up over. "I guess you could say that…." He sneered out at the dark, and Kagome quirked an eyebrow at the strange behavior, but ultimately let it rest. They were wasting time, and she was worried about Inuyasha. "I need to bandage this – can you move your robes?" He looked back at her with an unreadable expression, thinking it over as she sat patiently waiting for him to acquiesce. But then something seemed to click for him, and with a positively predatory smirk he was leaning up and shrugging off his torn and bloodied kosode and fur vest, the fabric hanging around the obi at his waist as he stretched and flexed unrestrained by the cloth, blue eyes never leaving hers which stayed defiantly away from his chest. She couldn't do anything about her peripheral though, or the fact that she knew he'd done it on purpose just to shake her, and she cursed the heat in her cheeks. 'What a jerk!' Her mind screeched, desperately slapping hands to her face to distract herself from the sight of the well-muscled man. 'If he thinks I'm going to fawn all over him just because he's strong, he's got another thing coming! It takes more than brawn to win me over, and besides! I've got my own muscly-man who's worth more than this guy could ever dream!' Taking a deep breath, empowered by her mental pep talk, Kagome tamped down her blush and set about looking for a suitable bandage. She thought about asking Kouga to use his Kosode, but thought better of giving him another reason to strip. Honestly, she couldn't believe he was being so… forward! She was only a weak human after all, and one he'd just met! Could it be he was just toying with her, like a Kitsune? Wolves weren't known for being tricksters, but then… what did she know about wolf demons? She had her own suspicions about his actions, but… it seemed ridiculous. He'd only just met her! He coulnd't… _like_ her! And yet… hadn't he been dropping more than subtle hints to that end all evening?

Looking about the clearing distractedly, Kagome came to the conclusion that she had nothing to bandage the man with, until her eyes fell to the fraying edge of her long blue skirt, and she decided that a few strips off the end couldn't hurt – it wasn't hers to begin with after all so ruining it wouldn't bother her much. Trying to focus on her task instead of her hyper-awareness of the demon-man's proximity, Kagome found a sizeable tear in the hem of the fabric, and made to pull off to the side… but the fabric had other ideas, and tore along the path of least resistance – straight up to her hip.

Another long silence stretched through the clearing during which Kagome could feel the last of her nerves fraying like the fabric in her trembling hands. The cold night air hit her bare leg, and with a start she made to fold the torn fabric back over her exposed skin… but then she remembered that the demon beside her still needed a bandage, and she still needed the fabric. Taking her courage in both hands, she gently set the torn fabric down, acting as casual as her mortification allowed, not daring for a second to look at Kouga's face or see where his eyes were focused. It occurred to her briefly that Kouga had claws… claws that could be used to cut the fabric at the bottom of her skirt, making the task a simple one, but… after the way he'd been acting, the thought of him tearing any piece of her clothing was too much for her panicked mind to process and she promptly threw the idea out. Finding the hem once more, she found another tear and tried in the opposite direction. Her result was to indeed tear a strip of fabric… but one that ran vertical up the side of her leg, as opposed to across the bottom. Desperate fingers tried to tear the wide strip away before it went any higher up her skirt, but she only succeeded in making the ripping worse, and each tug brought it closer to her waist to expose more of her leg to the cold and her companion's gaze. She was growling now in high tones, pulling and tugging, her hair falling in her face and tears of frustration pricking her eyes as each and every horrible little event of the night built up in her heard like lava trapped under a block of stone. What she wouldn't give right now to see Inuyasha!

Then there was a chuckle beside her, a horribly amused little sound, and Kouga said with a laugh "If you're that eager to get it off, I could help, y'know."

She didn't know if he meant to sound so condescending; she couldn't tell if the innuendo was intended or all in her head. But at that point, it didn't matter. Her last nerve had just snapped.

He was laughing right until he felt the sharp sting of her palm against his cheek, and his eyes shot wide to see her terrifyingly beautiful face close to his and yelling "I'm MARRIED!" Kouga reeled, his mouth gaping as his fingers came up to tenderly tap at the growing redness on his face from her slap; but Kagome had already turned her attention back to her skirt. Her fingers were growing red and raw from tugging apart the threads, but eventually she managed the fray the fabric at her waist enough to break it off with a triumphant shriek which nearly sent Kouga scrambling. Makeshift bandage in hand, Kagome smoothed down the western blouse tucked under her skirt so that it covered the short hem of her cotton underclothes, adjusting the folds of fabric to preserve her modesty as best she could, and rounded on the wolf-demon. "Come here, sit still, and don't try anything."

He obeyed quicker than he ever would have admitted to, and Kagome wrapped the strip tightly, only getting it around twice before having to tie it off in a little knot. It would be enough pressure to staunch the worst of the bleeding though, and enough to get Kouga off his feet to escort her back to the circus.

But the wolf-demon didn't seem ready to let their interactions end just yet.

"So… this husband of yours… is it the demon you're at the circus with? Or a human you left behind?"

Kagome rolled her eyes, rising to her feet once she was done and shaking feeling back into the sleeping limbs. "I wouldn't abandon my husband to spend time with another man" she shot back acridly, but Kouga's quick response of "isn't that what you're doing now?" had her turning a glare on him that prompted a surrendering gesture.

"Easy now, I was only teasing! If you're so set on this guy, then I'll take you back. Though I have to say… it's pretty irresponsible of him to let his wife wander around in the forest at night." The wolf-demon pulled himself up on his legs, not bothering to fix his robes just yet as he adjusted to the bandages. He noticed Kagome looking distant and lost beside him, and his arrogant attitude faltered. "Hey… I'll take you back, you have my word."

"I'm just worried about him is all…" she said in a small voice, a hand fumbling with her torn skirt, "he should have found me hours ago, but they kept him after for punishment… because of me. I got him in trouble earlier over something stupid…. If I'm not careful, I could get us both killed." Gentle pressure on her shoulder drew her eyes up to see Kouga smiling softly, the look much different from his earlier arrogant smirk.

"Hey, you're not alone in this. I'll help you get rid of these creeps. You can count on me and my pack."

The smile she returned was radiant, and Kouga seemed to get lost in it for a moment, but with a soft "Thank you Kouga" she had stepped out of his reach and back under the tree-line. The wolf-demon took a moment to collect himself, brushing a clawed hand through his dark brown bangs, flicking his long ponytail back behind him and putting a smug grin back on his face before following her into the darkness, quickly taking the lead after it became evident she didn't know the way.

* * *

"So I was thinking" her voice rose up through the night air, pausing each time she stumbled over a root or bramble, "that as soon as your wound is better, we should act. I'm afraid to waste any more time, and… I'm sure you want revenge."

"Sure do" Kouga said darkly, glancing back to make sure she was keeping up. Several times he made as if to grab her and carry her through the woods again, but stopped himself before he could reach her side; his cheek still stung from her earlier outburst. "We won't be able to take them down all at once though – there just aren't enough of us left."

"But Kyoukotsu… do you think you could take him down?" Kagome searched out his eyes in the dark, wanting to read his response, see for herself if he had the confidence to really do it. She wouldn't ask something impossible, but… if there was a chance….

His wide grin filled her with relief, and he answered airily "The boys and I can handle him, no problem! We just need to get inside. We've… never tried, because we feared an ambush."

"But there aren't guards at night, aside from the circus performers" Kagome mused.

"Oh yeah?" Kouga shot back, his blue eyes like ice as he looked at her over his shoulder, "Then you haven't seen the monster prowling the grounds after everyone's gone to bed. What, too preoccupied with your husband?"

"I'm usually asleep" Kagome snapped, hoping the wolf wouldn't see the red blossoming on her cheeks. She knew she should have expected such talk from the beginning, should have assumed that's what people would think when she first made their little cover-story, but… did _everyone_ have to bring it up? Even if they _were_ married, what business was it of his or anyone else what she and Inuyasha did in their private time? The fact that they _really did_ nothing but sleep and very _awkwardly_ cuddle couldn't stop Kagome from thinking of what everyone else thought they _should_ be doing, and the stubborn blush refused to back down. Desperately backtracking to remember what had prompted the embarrassing turn in conversation, a question popped into Kagome's mind and she leapt on it.

"What monster?"

"A great big bull or something." Kouga answered with a wave of his hand, picking his way effortlessly through the thick trees, "You must know: I think it's one of the half-breeds. Anyways, it guards the gates, and none of my wolves have ever gotten past it."

'Izumo!' Kagome hadn't known he stood guard at night… she'd never seen him out, but then… she'd never gone wandering like this before. Although… the first night she and Inuyasha had snuck into the circus… there'd been no Izumo to stop them. Had he not been out that night? Or perhaps… had he willingly let them in?

"Kouga, don't worry about him. I'll make sure he lets you and your wolves into the circus."

The wolf-demon stopped in his tracks to look back at her with more respect than she would have expected. "You can do that? Wow… yeah, that'll work. You take care of the beast, we'll charge in and do the dirty work."

"There's one thing though" Kagome said quickly, catching Kouga's arm before he could turn and continue walking, "we can't help you fight." She set her jaw, waiting for some kind of retaliation, but he merely shrugged. "Understandable. You've still gotta live in that place after all." His eyelids drooped, smile turning into a roughish grin as he placed a finger under her chin and purred "We'll just have to be enemies for a night – no hard feelings. I'll try not to behave like too much of a villain in front of your 'noble husband'."

"Yeah, well" lightly nudging the hand away, Kagome gave Kouga a perceptive glance and said with a hint of warning "make sure you don't. I wouldn't go picking any fights with him if I were you. Just stick with defeating Kyoukotsu, and we'll put on a show to hide the fact that we let you in."

Hands before him in a placating gesture, Kouga took a step back, still grinning and said "Fine with me." They shared understanding smiles, turning back to the path, but Kouga froze mid-turn, his entire body tensing. It was as though the air around them grew thicker, and Kagome didn't dare breathe as Kouga lifted a warning hand. She strained her ears and senses to catch what Kouga had, but she knew it was useless, and when Kouga turned unnatural blue eyes on her and said "we're being tailed" she didn't question when he lifted her into his arms and took off into the woods at break-neck speed.

Kagome's heart thundered painfully, breathing difficult as her lungs compressed under the force of the air whooshing past them; Inuyasha had never run so fast with her. It was impossibly fast – dangerously fast. She was close to telling Kouga to stop – she'd rather take her chances with their pursuer than die from asphyxiation – but she didn't need to. He had forgotten about his wound, and her weight against his injured torso was aggravating the cuts. With a final gasping breath he gave into the pain, tumbling to the dirt and moss of the forest floor while carefully caging Kagome's body from impact with rocks or roots with his arms and legs.

They came to a sudden stop with Kouga flat on his back, breathing through clenched teeth, arms still wrapped protectively around Kagome as she lay across his bared chest. The makeshift-bandage dragged over the wound, pulling at the fresh scabs and causing Kouga to wince. Sitting up with a gasp, Kagome's hands reached out instinctively to correct the mistake and ease her patient's discomfort, completely forgetting their former pursuit… at least, until the crunch of dead twigs and snapping of branches reminded her sharply that they weren't alone. A gasp caught in her throat, and she cowered instinctively against Kouga, her only source of defense, whose arms tightened even more around her middle. Her skirt lay flayed over the ground, offering no cover or protection at all against their attacker, and the absurd thought to reach down and cover up her legs crossed Kagome's mind – but it was pointless now. They were trapped, and a little cover would do nothing to save her.

… She had to wonder though, if there wasn't some other force at work behind that little voice telling her to cover up, when their pursuer finally broke the line of trees, and Kagome came face to face with a panting Inuyasha.

Her gut reaction was to smile, to shout his name in joy and leap up and throw her arms around his neck… but the look he wore was like nothing she'd ever seen on him, and it chilled her very bones. There was a painful moment where she tried to swallow, but her throat was so dry she couldn't do it without coughing. He'd never really made her nervous before, but… she had to really stop and ask herself for a moment if he could transform into a full demon without the red eyes and face stripes. He had yet to say a word – he wasn't even growling. And it was unnerving Kagome like nothing else. She watched his eyes travel over her face, no doubt noticing her disheveled hair, before traveling down to her torn skirt and bared legs with a twitching brow. His gaze shot up to zero in on the arms around her waist, and then a little northward, and Kagome noticed for the first time that her hands were still splayed on Kouga's chest from where she'd been fixing his bandage. Shoving in sudden panic, she scrambled to leave the demon's hold but he held firm.

"Kagome, what're you-"

"Kouga, let me go! This is Inuyasha, he's my-"

She left off with a gasp as she was bodily lifted away from the man on the ground, a slight tug-of-war ensuing as the wolf still refused to relinquish his hold. A well-placed kick and sharp yelp of pain quickly ended the feud, and Kagome found herself stumbling back a few steps to see her half-demon hauling Kouga to his feet by his neck only to slam his back against a nearby tree.

"I'm her goddamn husband, that's who. And your executioner." Kagome was between them in an instant, fruitlessly trying to wedge herself between the two snarling demons, tugging at Inuyasha's arm and rising up on her tiptoes to meet his burning amber gaze. He refused to look at her.

"Inuyasha, knock it off. Listen to me! If you would just –" with a huff she went directly to pry his clawed fingers from Kouga's throat with her own hands, and with a growl he let go. She knew he would – he wouldn't risk her getting cut. "Look," she started pointedly, hands on her hips as she positioned herself strategically to give Kouga time to catch his breath "you've got it all wrong! Kouga's an ally! We were running, because… well, we thought you were an enemy! We didn't want to get caught!"

It was entirely the wrong choice of words – she realized that the moment they left her mouth. And she would have taken them back… if only Inuyasha hadn't opened his mouth immediately afterwards.

"Well, excuse me for interrupting you two" he said in a dark, throaty tone, "You should be more careful next time so I don't put your little tryst in danger."

Nothing moved. No one breathed. There was still a moment where Kagome thought she'd made the whole thing up. He hadn't really said what she thought he'd said. He couldn't possibly be accusing her of-

But reading her as he always did, his golden eyes narrowed and he said in a bitter voice she couldn't believe was directed at her "Yeah, you heard me." Kagome was sure for a moment that she had slapped him, but only her mind's eye had the satisfaction of seeing his stupid, stunned expression. She couldn't make her real body carry through. She wouldn't have done it, not to him… but if he thought she was going to come crying to him with some sort of apology, he had another thing coming. Her shock hardened into a glare, twin expressions of anger shooting through the air between them as neither party dared back down. An unfamiliar chuckle broke the stalemate as Kouga spoke up suddenly "No wonder you asked for my help, Kagome! Your husband's a weak little half-breed!"

Despite her anger at Inuyasha, she never took insulting him lightly. Her anger turned suddenly on Kouga, who didn't notice it quickly enough. "He's more than strong enough Kouga – that was never the issue." She glanced up at the man in question to see him looking smugger than she was ready to allow. He owed her some serious apologizing before he got any flattery. "But he's not my husband."

The change of expression on both men was a little more satisfying than perhaps it should have been, but it had been a particularly long night, and Kagome was feeling particularly petty.

"But…" Kouga's eyebrow rose in confusion as he floundered "didn't you both just say…"

"It's a ruse." Ignoring Inuyasha's indignant sputtering behind her, Kagome crossed her arms and continued "He's working for the circus and the only way they'll let me stay is by me pretending to be his wife. It's worked so far."

Ignoring the presence of the simmering dog-demon, Kouga stepped forward, smugness back in place, and said in a sultry whisper beside Kagome "then does that mean I still have a chance?"

'Of course not' she wanted to say, and were it any other night, she would have said it… but Inuyasha was still glaring at her as though she'd run out on him – as though she'd betrayed him – and she just couldn't find it in her to be nice. Willfully turning away from Kouga, she made sure she had Inuyasha's eye before saying pointedly "I guess you'll just have to try your luck."

* * *

The air between them was suffocating, blood pounding harder in Inuyasha's ears with every step they took. He'd been worried – he'd been _damn frantic_ with panic at the thought of what could have happened to her! He'd caught the lingering scent of the lucky-god, as well as the faint whiff of demon energy, as though there'd been a fight. By the time he reached the clearing where the smells coalesced, the scent of wolf blood and Kagome had worked him up so tightly that he'd been ready to run her the whole way back to Tokyo once he found her just to keep her safe. And then he caught their trail, fresh and close by, and he pushed himself to run at speeds he'd never reached before. And after all that, all his heartache and worry and effort, what does he find? He finds his Kagome tangled in the arms of some shirtless, sweaty demon, her hands all over him and clothes practically falling off.

Despite the horrible image it made, the evil whisperings in the back of his mind of what could have occurred, he was still willing to give her the benefit of the doubt; she'd been kidnapped, and this cretin had probably forced himself on her. But then she defended the wolf, tried to keep him from ripping the bastard's throat out as he rightly should have done, and a sick little thought planted itself in his head: she didn't want him anymore. She'd found someone else. It was a nightmare he'd always harbored but never dared give further thought, that one day she'd come to her senses and realize that she could do infinitely better than a half-breed freak.

'I just never thought she'd go for a wolf' he thought bitterly, glancing down at his silent companion. He noted the harsh crease between her brows and her set jaw, his gaze falling to the hand bunched up in her skirt, keeping the fabric from falling open as she walked and exposing her legs to the cold. He scoffed.

"It wasn't a tryst."

His golden gaze drifted back to her face, but her own eyes stayed forward. "I didn't even mean to go with him in the first place! It just sort of… happened."

Inuyasha grit his teeth, stewing in silence as he fought for a way to respond without snapping at her. It was a losing battle. "How does it just 'happen'" he ground through his teeth, "that you come out here looking for Miroku and Sango" he looked down at her, something heavy settling in his heart as he caught the corner of her eye "and wind up with a wolf-demon's scent all over you?"

That angry gleam was back in those dark orbs, and she responded tersely "Are you actually going to listen, or are you just gonna jump to conclusions again?"

"Start explainin', and we'll see."

"Miroku and Sango never showed" she began, her eyes fixing on the trees before them, expression as neutral as she could make it, "and Kouga showed up before I could get out of the woods. He… he tried to kidnap me, but I fought back."

White ears perked up at that, and Inuyasha folded his arms and kept his mouth shut, silently letting her know he was listening.

"He thought I was in league with the Seven Lucky Gods, but once I found out they were his enemies too, I thought it would be best to make a truce. He agreed, and we went off to find his wolves, and ran into Kyoukotsu."

"I know, I caught his scent" Inuyasha said gruffly. Their eyes met for a brief moment, before Inuyasha turned his face away with a huff. "So there was a fight, he got hurt, and you patched him up even though he's a _demon_ and he'll heal up just fine on his own." Kagome's pace slowed, her warning gaze meeting his in challenge; but Inuyasha wasn't one to back down. "That's a lot of concern for someone who just kidnapped you, y'know! I mean, damn, did you really have to tear up your clothes just to make a bandage for him?"

He trudged forward a few paces before realizing that she was no longer beside him. His heart seized in a claw-like vice as suddenly a faint hint of salt tinted the air hitting his nose, and he froze.

Both hands were clutching her skirt now, ink-black bangs falling over her eyes, her full lips pursed and trembling, and Inuyasha forgot for a moment why he was so mad at her.

"I wanted you there."

Inuyasha couldn't be sure at first that he'd really heard her, but then her shoulders hunched, and she spoke a little louder "I was so scared, and embarrassed… everything was going wrong, and I felt lost, alone with a stranger, in the woods… and he kept… I dunno, flirting with me I guess, and it was just… uncomfortable. And I just… wished you were there."

He was already taking a step toward her, one hand outstretched and anxious to reach her, when her face rose, and she said through angry tears "My mistake."

His reaching hand clenched into a fist, softening eyes creasing into a frown once more as he bit out "Look, if he made you so uncomfortable, then why the hell'd you stick with him?"

"What was I supposed to do, Inuyasha? Wander around in the woods by myself? Go back with Kyoukotsu? Is that what you would have wanted me to do?"

Cowering slightly under her teary glare, Inuyasha grit his teeth, saying in a low voice "You didn't have to defend him though…."

Kagome's eyes rolled up to the trees above them as she said exasperatedly "I wasn't about to let you kill him! He offered to help us fight!" Inuyasha remained skeptical, and Kagome continued in an urgent tone "He said he'd be healed by tomorrow, so he's going to bring his wolf pack to take revenge on Kyoukotsu. The circus has been taking his wolves for the show, and he thinks they can take him down. He just needs us to make sure they can get in, and pretend to fight."

"Oh I won't need to pretend" Inuyasha snarled, avoiding meeting Kagome's pointed look. "Fine, he and his fleabags can try to fight those clowns all they want, but after that," he turned darkened eyes to her, teeth bared and fists clenched, "After that he goes back to the mountains and I never wanna hear his stupid name again."

He expected her to get angry; at the very least he expected a huff or a stomp of her foot or some other sign of her displeasure. He wasn't expecting something bordering on sympathy to fill her eyes, or the way that look tugged at his heart.

"What are you so afraid of?"

"I ain't afraid of nothin'." They both knew it was far too late for that lie.

"Do you honestly think" she started, voice tight and eyes filling with a sorrowful disbelief that had Inuyasha feeling lower than dirt, "that after all we've been through together… that I would abandon you like that?"

His jaw clenched, not trusting himself to answer.

Kagome turned away from him slightly, releasing her skirt to wrap her arms around herself, looking small and helpless all of a sudden. Inuyasha fought down the desire to march over and scoop her into his arms, both their tempers be damned, but he could still smell the lingering stench of wolf around her form, and it kept his feet firmly planted.

"I don't think I need to remind you of everything I went through for you… back at Naraku's circus." He winced at the name, and was sure it had been just as difficult for her to say as it was for him to hear. "And if you really think you mean so little to me… then you don't know me at all."

It was like a gulf was stretching out between them, and Inuyasha sputtered and gaped as he searched for the bridge across it. "It's not-" his voice seemed strained and weak even to himself, but it drew Kagome's attention nonetheless. Seeing the hurt in her eyes, the way she hugged herself for the comfort he refused to give, Inuyasha forced himself to speak. "It's not like that. Of course I remember – how could I forget?" Her eyes rose shyly to his, some of the sadness drifting away to reveal a spark of something brighter, and he felt his mouth quirking into the smallest of smiles. She hesitantly returned the gesture, and he felt some of the space between them closing, a warmth building in his chest again. "It's just… you…" 'You mean everything to me.' "You've done so much for me." He bit his tongue as the words spilled out differently than he'd planned, and fumbling tried again. "I know you're a kind person, but…" 'I don't understand how you could want to be with me.' "I don't want creeps taking advantage of that." His mouth shut with a snap, berating himself for never being able to tell her just what it was he truly needed her to hear.

"I appreciate the concern Inuyasha" she said at length, not as sad but still not as forgiving as he had hoped she'd be, "but I think you're overreacting."

The warmth that had been steadily filling him up vanished in an icy blizzard.

"While Kouga was a little… overbearing at times, he never did anything worth making enemies over! It was all just a big misunderstanding!"

It may have been true – something deep down told him she was right and he was just being a jealous cad. But the jealous cad in him was angrily shouting that the wolf had gotten way too familiar with his 'wife', and every defense of the demon was another knife twisting in his gut, put there by her own delicate hands.

His yellow eyes narrowed, turning away from her as he tossed angrily over his shoulder "Fine! If foolin' around with the wolf is that important to ya, I won't get in your way." Without waiting for a response he trudged off into the woods, the smell of the sea growing stronger as he neared the camp, and Kagome's frustrated growling growing louder as she followed. He didn't stop until they reached the wooden posts of the gate, and once he felt her presence beside him, he grabbed her by the waist and leapt over the wall before she could protest the contact. Letting go quickly as she huffed, the beginnings of a tirade building behind her lips, Inuyasha's dog-ears picked up a faint scuffling in the dirt of the compound, and he grabbed her waist again before she could say a word. The force of his grip stalled her anger, but neither of them were left with time to react as Renkotsu appeared from behind the nearest tent, eyes trained sharply on them both.

"Well well" he said smoothly, glancing from one anxious face to another, "isn't this a surprise? And here I thought the love-birds would be in their tent. Asleep." His words were punctuated by pointed glares that Inuyasha couldn't help returning. After the long day and even longer night he'd had, the last thing he needed was this pompous human giving him a lecture. He grit his teeth, a growl rising in his throat as he worked up a whole list of creative insults to hurl at the circus-performer, but before he could say a word, a lilting voice sounded beside him.

"We just couldn't help ourselves!"

Inuyasha tried not to stare too openly at Kagome, but… damn, he'd never heard her use a voice like that before. It was high and playful and… a little more intriguing than he cared to admit. He wondered where she'd been hiding it all this time. His burning curiosity turned into a flame of a much different kind as she suddenly leaned her weight against his side, and he watched spellbound as a dainty hand rose to rest against the leather of his shirt before rubbing small circles into his chest.

"You kept him away so long training" Kagome continued in that salacious voice, "that I got lonely, and when he finally came back, well… we both wanted to get away for a little while!" His vision was suddenly accosted by skin as her leg slipped out from the tear in her skirt, her knee rubbing against his through his hakama, the fabric unable to keep his legs from turning to jelly under the friction. "I guess we were both just tired of the circus scenery."

Her eyes turned up to meet his, but there was none of the flush on her face that now covered his. In fact, there was nothing in her expression to match the ardent voice or stroking hand – only a cold, hard glare full of pain-filled promises. She was _beyond_ mad at him now.

"There's nothing like _'fooling around'_ in the forest. Right, _Husband_?"

'Foolin' around with the wolf' – that's what he'd accused her of. And this… caressing, and leaning, and…. He felt her blunt nails dragging lazily up and down his abdomen, making him shudder, all the while her stony gaze never left his. Yes, this was definitely deliberate, and it was absolutely torture. 'Is… is this some kinda payback?!' he thought angrily, not daring to admit even to himself that it was working marvelously in her favor.

Tearing his frightened eyes away from the girl still wrapped around him, he met Renkotsu's gaze and smirked – the man looked like he was going to be sick.

"Spare me. And next time, just stay in your tent." He turned on his heel, leaving the affectionate couple without another word or glance. As soon as his back disappeared into the darkness, Kagome's warmth disappeared from Inuyasha's side.

It took a moment for the frazzled half-demon to register the sudden cold beside him, his skin still tingling with foreign yet pleasant sensations from her touch, and by the time he thought to track down his missing wife she was already vanishing behind a wooden stall.

* * *

She was determined not to talk to him. He could yell and mope and fuss all he wanted, but as long as he insisted on acting like a jealous five-year-old, she'd ignore him. She underestimated just how riled up he could make her though. Reaching their tent first, she'd waited in the doorway just long enough to drop the tent flap in his face, smirking as she heard him sputter outside before swatting away the fabric. She met his glare briefly before snatching her sleeping kosode off the dresser. There was a brief pause while she contemplated her next move, but seeing him still steaming, his arms crossed and not a hint of apology on his face, she decided more revenge was in order. Turning away from him, assured that his angry yellow gaze was still trained on her, she brought her hands to the waist of her torn skirt and shimmied out of it, letting it drop to the ground as the man behind her made a violent choking sound. Anger and satisfaction made for an interesting brew as her hands began to lift the hem of her blouse without thinking, the edges of her cotton romper peeking out underneath and giving her 'husband' what was probably his first ever view of her western underwear.

"WHAT THE HELL, KAGOME!?"

Innocent brown eyes met yellow ones wide as saucers, and she tried not to smirk at just how terrified he looked. "Oh, I'm sorry," she said in that same false voice from earlier, "I guess I've just become such a _loose woman_ in the past few hours," her voice hardened considerably, causing Inuyasha to take a nervous step back, "that I've lost all sense of propriety. Whoops."

The death-stare from earlier settled back on her face, and Inuyasha swallowed hard before his own face fell into a glare and he sputtered "You've made your damn point, woman." Stepping decidedly around her, he snatched his own kosode and stomped out of the tent, saying with a growl "I'm sleepin' outside – it reeks of wolf in here."

Kagome let him go without a fight, her fingers digging at the hem of her shirt, eyes boring holes into the cot that suddenly seemed too large for just one person. The silence following his abrupt departure was strangely empty, and it seemed to Kagome that he'd traveled miles away instead of just a few feet. 'He can go as far as China for all I care' she told herself forcefully, trying in vain to really mean it as she pulled the blouse off and slipped into the light linen. Glancing down at the pile of clothes on the dirt floor, she kicked it absently, thinking the shirt would need a wash tomorrow once she found a good bucket. The skirt she would trash.

The cot creaked as she climbed into it, pulling the blanket up to her chin and burrowing underneath as she tried to pretend that she was home and it was normal to be sleeping alone. But try as she might, she couldn't stop thinking about the presence that should have been there with her, and the mess they'd gotten themselves in. The face he'd worn when he first found her in the clearing flashed through her mind, and she shut her eyes tight against it; she never wanted to see a face like that again. It hurt to think he couldn't trust her to stay faithful to him. Didn't he realize how much he meant to her? Didn't he realize… that she loved him? She'd never said the words… but did they really need saying?

Her eyes pricked suddenly, and she bit her lip in anger. She wouldn't cry over this – over him – she just wouldn't! But his bitter words and hurt expression kept coming to mind, and she couldn't hold back the welling moisture. She thought of how worried she'd been, how much she'd thought of him, how she'd wished he'd been there with her… and the more she thought, the more her memories began to change, and it was no longer her and Kouga spread across the forest floor, but her and her half-demon. His silver hair fanned out beneath him, her hands braced against his heaving chest as he held her waist tightly, bringing her closer until his mouth met hers and his golden eyes slid shut in bliss…. Kagome let out a whimpering sob, wishing she could just tell the thick-headed man how stupid he was for doubting her. She wished she could just tell him that he was everything she wanted, that no demon or human or other being could ever hold his place in her heart, but… he was angry at her, and she was so frustrated with him, and now he was sleeping outside because she smelled of another man, and she was just too hurt to make the first move.

Turning into her pillow, eyes scrunching against the flow of tears, she tried her best to stifle the sounds of her sobbing, but between her sniffles and gasps it was impossible to hide. She didn't know what to expect when Inuyasha discovered her state, but it certainly wasn't the angry cursing shout that sounded from just the other side of the tent wall. Her eyes sprung open, tears still leaking from the sides as she listened in silence for his next move. She thought she heard his footsteps, but they seemed to be headed away… and then the strangest sounds met her ears, as a cacophony of scrapes and crashes and thuds sounded from a tent nearby. And among it all, her half-demon cursed up a storm.

The sounds continued for what seemed like hours, and they fell into a strange rhythm: Kagome softly sobbing as Inuyasha cursed and dragged things around in the dirt outside. She hadn't a clue what he was up to – perhaps clearing out another tent to sleep in – and a few times she heard him angrily telling off Renkotsu when he came to investigate the noise. But whatever the reason for his clamor, Kagome was glad for it. Anything was better than her silent, empty bed, and before long the muttered curses had lulled her to sleep.

* * *

*Author's Note:

Oooohohohoohmigosh it's been so long... Sorry guys. Also I'm sorry because I really didn't want to stop it here but hey! More to look forward to next time. ;) That being said, my goal is to get the next chapter out within the next two weeks. I know that seems crazy considering my usual schedule (or lack thereof) but I really did intend to write more for this chapter, and ending it where I did is just killing me, so I'm going to try and round out this part of the action as quickly as I can. Also... this chapter was seriously the most difficult thing to write ever, and now that it's over, I'm hoping the rest of the story will come to me a bit easier. Cross your fingers!

HUGE THANKS to those who have reviewed/followed/favorited or even just read this story! I really love this au-niverse so much, and it makes me so happy to see others enjoying it as well! Thank you for your support! Love you guys! 3


	6. Baths of Brine and Blood

~Freak Attraction: Seven-Man Circus~

Chapter Six: Baths of Brine and Blood

* * *

"Oi, time to get up."

Eyelids fluttering open against the soft yellow light of morning, it took Kagome a few moments to decipher whether or not she was dreaming. The voice she knew well – it was one she'd been hearing every day for months now - but the usual shimmering white hair and half grin that accompanied it were nowhere to be found. Inuyasha was usually the one to wake her, but... where was he now? Her sleep-addled brain mulled over the situation a moment more before the previous night came rushing back to her on a bitter wave. Her fingers clutched the old blanket, unwilling to move as she listened to the distant twittering of birds and felt the sun's rays bathing her face through the open tent flap. Tentatively she reached out with her aura, but felt nothing nearby. A discarded sleeping-robe hung on the edge of a dresser drawer across from her, and she knew that Inuyasha had already gone off to train.

The minutes passed slowly as she urged herself to roll out of bed, but her limbs refused to move. She wasn't ready to face a day like this, with Inuyasha sending her accusing glares and avoiding her touch. Wasn't it just yesterday when he'd kissed her senseless right in front of everyone? It felt like eons ago, the memory of his lips against her already faded. How long would it be before things changed? Again worries plagued her, and she wondered if all the noise from the night before meant he'd cleared a separate tent for himself, no longer able to stand her company. What would happen when the seven performers discovered them in separate quarters? Would they throw her out now that her husband had cast her aside? She could see Jakotsu's gloating face in her mind's eye, and her expression soured.

But then a thought came that was even worse, and no matter how she tried to push it away, it sunk in deep and began to fester. What if Inuyasha threw her out first? What if he sent her home, saying he could handle it by himself, that he didn't need her help, that she was only getting in the way? A gale of horrid outcomes flew past her eyes as she thought of Inuyasha facing the gods alone. Them surrounding him, torturing him, mutilating him as they'd done to those twins, until finally he lay dead at the bottom of a filthy cage. And during it all she sat miles upon miles away in her comfortable home, unable to save him just as she'd been unable to swallow her pride and apologize.

That last image spurred her into action as she rolled off the cot, her feet aching slightly as they met the packed dirt. She ignored the sting of rocks and dry patches of grass as she hurried to the open tent flap, hoping somehow that she could catch up to Inuyasha, catch him and say how sorry she was even if he never offered apologies in return – but the sight that met her eyes as she stepped out into the sunlight stopped her in her tracks.

Just to her left stood an alcove where before there'd been nothing. It was built up of boxes and crates and old cabinets, stacked like bricks to form a more or less solid wall. In places where the materials weren't as sturdy or thick, a tent tarp had been draped over top to hide any cracks. And in the center, hidden from all outside view, was a large wooden tub raised up on rocks, weathered but solidly-seamed, with a metal bottom and embers already glowing in a pit underneath. Kagome approached the structure in a daze, noting how the surrounding wall easily rose a foot above her head, the lip of the tub at chest height. It was already full of water. Mouth open, breathing shakily, she reached forward to dip the tips of her fingers in the slightly murky water – and shivered in delight. It was lovely! The warmth of it spread up her arm, and suddenly she ached to submerge in it, realizing she hadn't had a proper bath since the morning they'd left on the train.

Filled with sudden euphoria at the prospect of a good soak, Kagome looked around her little hideaway, noticing that their sleeping tent made up part of the enclosure, the opening facing the backs of a few more storage tents. It would have been best to hang a curtain or something for added privacy, but she knew for a fact that no one would be in this area of the compound this time of day, and biting her lip to hide a smile, her hands eagerly undid the tie of her kosode. Shedding the last of her clothing and placing them in one of the open crates that made her bathing room, Kagome circled to the back of the tub, finding a large bucket upside-down in the dirt ground. The thought crossed her mind that it was the perfect size for doing the wash later, but for the time being it was just the right height for her to seat herself on the edge of the tub and slide into the hazy water with a sigh.

It put her at an awkward level, too short to stand in but too high to sit, and Kagome settled for propping herself against one side of it, her arms draping along the rim and head falling back in bliss as the thick water rippled around her. Breathing deeply, she was filled with the smell of the sea, and wondered if the water had come from some ocean inlet nearby. She trusted that Inuyasha had thought to boil the water first before offering it to her like this.

A smile found its way onto her lips as she thought of the half-demon; it wasn't a big mystery how her new bath had got here: it was obviously Inuyasha's doing. Even without all the clamour and cursing from the night before, his handiwork was evident throughout. The thick wall for privacy, the proximity to their tent, the already prepped and steamy water were all testament to her 'husband's' hard labor.

Leaning away from the wooden rim, she dipped her head back, wetting her thick mass of black hair and sinking her fingers in to scrub away some of the grime that had been accumulating there. She wasn't a fool – she knew he'd likely built her this bathing area as a not-so-subtle hint to wash the rest of Kouga's scent from her body. But… she also remembered how he'd started working on it the moment she began to cry, and looking around she realized he'd probably spent most of the night putting it together. Maybe she was giving him too much credit, but… it seemed an awful lot like an apology. Besides, he knew how fond she was of baths. Splashing some of the warm water on her face, eyes closed as her hands rubbed her skin in slow circles, trying to sort through her lingering frustration, Kagome decided to let the argument go. Whatever his reasoning, she'd accept his gift, and she'd do her part to make sure that not a single patch of skin smelled of anything but sea-salt. She wouldn't spend another night alone if she could help it.

Rubbing the briny water lazily over her arms, Kagome let the worries of the night before melt into the thin tendrils of steam still rising off the water. Baths had always had a calming effect on her, and she hadn't realized just how much she'd been missing them until she sank back into one. Almost without realizing she began to hum, sifting through a few half-remembered tunes before settling on one she could remember her mother singing on long walks outside of the bustling city. It had always unsettled her as a child, a soft voice of reprimand for wandering off, but now… now she found the words a comforting fit. Her voice rose a little higher, and she closed her eyes as the song floated softly off her tongue.

"In that town, in this town, the sun is going down, sun is going down."

"Hurry back the way you came, go back to your home, go back to your home."

Her lips cracked in a smile, fingers lazily tracing the course wood-grain of the tub as she let her thoughts drift to dreaming, hoping that she and her half-demon could make up soon so she could add this song to his repertoire. Wouldn't it be nice to hear him humming it in her ear before bed….

But an altogether different noise sounded in her ears then, a throaty, gurgling chuckle rising up from the ground somewhere close by. Her eyes snapped open, unease gripping her as she slunk further into the water, casting her eyes about for the source of the strange voice. A flash of white caught her eye, and she hissed to see the leering eyes of the god Fukurokuju, Mukotsu, gazing up at her unabashedly from the edge of the constructed wall. Kagome struggled for words, panic throwing out the basic functions of her mind as she wrapped her arms protectively around herself. The circus performer's thick lips pulled up into a sick grin of delight as he mused "By all means, don't stop on my account!" His bulbous eyes widened even more as she drew back, and he muttered excitedly "I knew we should have put you on display as well. A nice bird cage, some false wings – you'd be our human-nightingale! How would you like that?"

"I'd like you to leave" Kagome said crossly, her voice and body shaking, "before I call for my husband!"

Mukotsu's smile only grew more wicked at the threat, his head slowly turning from side to side as he responded "No good! I waited till he was in the thick of training to come searching for you. Renkotsu mentioned the Inugami had built his little bride a bath, and I knew a lovely young thing like you would want to take advantage." He took a few shuffling steps forward on his short legs, and Kagome flinched away violently.

"Stay back!" Her mind raced for a plan, eyes darting about for an escape route, but not even Inuyasha had planned for such a scenario as this. Tendrils of regret began to seep in through the cracks of her fear: if only she'd waited before practically jumping out of her clothes, if only Inuyasha hadn't been so mad at her that morning, leaving her alone without a guardian….

The squat man took another step forward, and water sloshed nearly over the side as Kagome stumbled back. "I'll scream" she warned, unsure whether the move would really help or not. There wasn't much she could do if Inuyasha wasn't in range to hear her, but she just needed a distraction – something to get the creep away long enough for her to put on some clothes and run for help. Once she told Inuyasha what the creep had tried, well… it wouldn't be pretty.

But her threat fell on deaf ears, and Mukotsu only became more agitated. "You women are all the same" he said darkly, eyes narrowed and yellow teeth showing behind his lips, "You'll throw yourself so willingly at the nearest man with a pretty face, but when a plain man comes along that wants you, you pretend that you're somehow above him, that you're pure." A sinister smile returned to his tattooed face, and the circus-god added quietly "but we all know the truth, little bird. There's nothing pure about you, is there? No, not a girl with a demon lover. You gave yourself to a beast with a human face!"

Kagome glared at the little man as he snickered, her fear and embarrassment swallowed up in the anger that always followed such ignorant comments. She didn't speak though – she wouldn't engage him in conversation and give him a reason to stay. Frantically she cast her eyes about for the quickest way back to the tent, lungs filling with air as she prepared to scream and create her distraction.

"I wonder what you'd do if suddenly he weren't so nice to look at."

The words lodged her breath in her throat, her insides chilling at the excited way they'd been uttered.

"Perhaps if we were to tear it up so he didn't look so human anymore… or maybe we should simply cut off his head completely, or give him the face of a real dog? Maybe then you'd realize what a monster it is you chose to be with, and see that you could do worse than to let a _human_ have his way with you."

"I would _never_ let you touch me" she bit back, wishing the man were a demon; her powers were itching across her skin, but she knew they'd have no effect on this attacker.

Mukotsu's eyes darkened, and reaching into his robe, he muttered "Who said you'd have a choice" before pulling out a small round pellet.

Alarms sounded in Kagome's head, panic overtaking her as the little man drew nearer to the bath, and she was just about to jump from the tub and make a run for it when a calm voice called to Mukotsu from the entryway. Both Kagome and the circus-man froze, their attention drawn to the newcomer, and Kagome felt an overwhelming mix of shock and relief surge through her to see Izumo standing at the edge of the wall, his dim eyes trained on Mukotsu.

"Master Fukurokuju, you're needed for training."

There was no sense of urgency in his tone, no look on his face to make Kagome think he'd come to her rescue, but he didn't leave after delivering his message, and Kagome felt a sprout of hope. Mukotsu looked murderously at the half-demon, hand clenching the pellet as he turned back to Kagome. He took a half step toward her before Izumo's steady voice rose up again "It is by Master Bishamonten's request that I am sent."

Mukotsu scowled openly, his gaze bitter as he turned back to the cowering Kagome and seethed "We're not finished, little bird - I'll have you in a cage and at my mercy before you realize what's happened, while your husband gnaws old bones like the mutt he is." Slipping the pill back in his robes he stormed away, shoving Izumo as he passed and muttering under his breath. The half-demon man turned as if to follow him, but stopped just outside the enclosure. Leaning against the side of the tub, Kagome could just see his back as he looked out on the compound and away from her and the tent.

"Izumo?" Her voice was soft and shaky, but not from fear. He made no movement, but eventually responded in his monotone way "I will wait here until you are finished. Then I shall escort you to the monsters to give them their meal."

Kagome hesitated, anxious to get out and back in her clothes, but her curiosity was niggling at her. "Were you ordered to do so?" She couldn't think of any of the seven gods who would care so about her well-being, and Inuyasha couldn't have known she'd be delayed like this.

There was a pause in which he said nothing, and when he spoke again, Kagome was floored by the undercurrent of emotion in his words. "The half-demons need their caretaker."

Wasting no more time, Kagome scrambled out of the bath, wringing her hair in messy puddles on the dirt and patting down her body with her sleeping-kosode. Letting the sun dry the rest of her, she slipped into her cotton romper and sidled into the tent behind Izumo's back, hastily searching through piles of old clothes as silent triumph filled her chest. Izumo had helped her – he wasn't just a puppet! Despite the control the circus-gods had over him, he'd still been able to defy them in some way. He'd taken a risk and chosen to come to her aide. Now… now she just had to convince him to help her one more time.

* * *

"Stop fidgeting Inugami – stand still!"

Biting back a growl, Inuyasha glared up at the wooden platform above his head, blocking the view of his sadistic trainer. His arms were beginning to burn from grasping the wooden beams of the modified palanquin for so long, but Jakotsu didn't seem ready to be let down just yet. He'd decided to add a few new tricks to the 'Inugami's' routine, and carting around the God of Beauty had seemed the perfect fit for a subservient phantom. Inuyasha muttered a few curses he thought fit the role of a vengeful spirit just as well.

"What was that, Inugami?"

Golden eyes rolling skyward, Inuyasha groused "Just wondering what the hell you've been doin' up there all morning. Ain't I finished yet?" He'd spent over an hour already lowering and raising the palanquin again and again, eventually adding Jakotsu atop it to make sure he could balance the performer's additional weight. It wasn't a question of if he had the strength… it was more a question of resisting the urge to dump the dress-clad man in the dirt at his feet. He could only take so much of his morbid, uncomfortable conversation before he snapped.

He heard a tapping from above him, as though the god were thinking it over, and eventually Jakotsu's tenor broke through the morning hum as he piped up "Alright Inugami, I guess that's enough for this part of training…" Inuyasha couldn't help but sigh, shoulders slackening with the movement, and Jakotsu shrieked as the platform tipped beneath him. "HOLD STILL, DAMN YOU!"

The brief, wicked idea of messing with the performer crossed his mind - purposefully swaying the palanquin back and forth until the man turned so green he'd look more like a kappa than any god… but then he remembered Kagome. Crying Kagome, pleading desperately for him not to make trouble, to go along with the gods and their training, even though every bone in his body ached to fight back. She'd never explained herself, and after everything last night, well… he didn't feel so inclined to listen to her. But she'd been right, hadn't she? She'd risked her life for him so many times… was it too much to ask for a little trust on his part now?

"Didn't you hear me, Inugami? Lower me slowly so I can step off, and then I want you to put down the palanquin and bow. Understood?"

Biting his lip to keep from arguing, Inuyasha knelt carefully in the dirt, doing his best to keep the carriage stable as he brought it low enough for his passenger to descend. He saw Jakotsu's slippered feet plant firmly in his vision, and once they turned to face him, he shrugged the palanquin from his shoulders and shoved it off to the side. He mulled over the god's last order, and decided to stay bent as he was, hoping it would be enough, but – "On your face, Inugami."

He grit his teeth at the command, claws biting into the dirt as he fought to obey. He'd never bowed. He'd sworn to never abject himself to anyone, and certainly not scum like this man, so underserving of respect or honor that it almost made him ill. But… Kagome had seemed so scared….

Dragging his fingers through the dirt, he brought them to meet before him, palms flattened on the rough earth. Slowly he folded himself over, his brain hammering at his body like a blacksmith beating folded steel into a katana. And just as the heat and pressure made the metal stronger, so too Inuyasha felt his will become a weapon, even as his sweating forehead met his knuckles.

A hum of pleasure sounded above him, and he could feel Jakotsu's presence looming over his prone form. "That's more like it, Inugami. Looks like you finally recognize your place."

'Keep talkin', you bastard' Inuyasha seethed in silence, 'it'll be that much more satisfying when I finally slit your throat.'

The half-demon was abruptly pulled from his murderous thoughts as weight exploded across his bare back, the feel of something powdery coating his skin. He scrambled to his feet flinging curses, and only had time to see Jakotsu holding a burlap sack before his vision was obscured by a burst of white. He sputtered and coughed as the dust-like substance filled his nose and eyes, and he blew and spit to clear it from his mouth. The smell of it filling his nostrils and the taste still clinging to his tongue told him exactly what it was, but he found himself lost as to its purpose.

"What the hell – rice flour?"

"You're too dark, Inugami" Jakotsu answered lightly, as though commenting on the weather, "no one in the crowd is going to believe you're a ghost-dog if you go around looking like you spent the day in the fields."

Vigorously brushing the powder from his bangs and wiping it from his eyes, Inuyasha glared at the grinning circus man, still holding the bag of flour and looking ready to throw more. "Perhaps we'll switch to paint later, but for now this is much more economical. And I wouldn't bother wiping it off – we'll just cover you again."

Inuyasha could do nothing but growl and shudder as he tried to adjust to the sickly feeling of the flour sticking to his sweaty skin. Glancing down at his arm, he noted the deathly pallor it gave his body, but he couldn't help grumbling "why bother with this now? The audience has already seen me."

"Those were only teasers, meant to spread the word" Jakotsu called as he rushed to the side of their training grounds, retrieving a small earthenware pot with a heavy lid. Bringing it carefully back to where Inuyasha stood, he continued in an excited tone "your real debut isn't until tomorrow night's performance, and tonight's the last night to make an impact on the crowd so they'll be sure to come in droves for the _real_ show." Placing the pot on the ground at his feet, he carefully unlatched and removed the lid, and Inuyasha was almost struck down by the overpowering smell of blood.

"Wha- what're you…"

Jakotsu's thin-fingered hand reached inside the dark red pool, emerging with a thick rope indistinguishable in color from its liquid bath. "Relax, it's only boars blood" Jakotsu said with a grin, holding the short length of blood-soaked rope up between them. The almost hungry way he gazed at the bloody mess nearly made Inuyasha back away. But he stood still, frozen with horror he tried to hide as Jakotsu stepped around to his back, saying in a falsely comforting voice "Don't worry Inugami, this is just the last part of your costume. Fight this, and you'll be punished." He had no time to think on those words before Jakotsu's hands had wrapped the rope around his neck, slipping underneath his mass of white hair and squeezing the bloody material firmly against him.

His instinct was to struggle, and his hands rose to tear the noose away, but Jakotsu's shout of "DON'T!" cracked like a whip through his thought process, and when the god of beauty added in a quiet voice too close to his face "wouldn't want anything to happen to your little woman, now would we", he let the man behind him twist the rope even tighter. The blood ran in thick rivers across his collarbone and down his chest, mixing with the rice flour to congeal in rivulets against his skin. Slowly the rope slackened, and Inuyasha took a greedy, gulping breath as his windpipe was freed. Stepping back into his line of vision, Jakotsu didn't bother hiding his pleased grin as he coiled the rope around his hand and purred "There, that wasn't so bad, was it? Now you finally look your part." Replacing the rope in the blood-pot, he took it with a happy smile back to sit with the other supplies, and all the while Inuyasha shuddered under his new coat.

For the first time in ages… he was afraid, and not for Kagome, or for the half-demons, but for himself. He hadn't felt fear like this since learning of his demon-transformation, and even then, that was something he could understand. It was natural, in a way; it was still part of who he was. But this… he couldn't see himself, couldn't see the full result of what Jakotsu had done, but every inch of him felt foreign, as though he were turning into something strange. He'd never felt so inhuman as he did at that moment. And for as much as he'd missed Kagome's presence last night, as much as he'd been looking forward to getting apologies out of the way and having her back in his arms… suddenly, he couldn't bear the thought of her seeing him.

* * *

Humming slightly, Jakotsu made a final check of his skirts before stepping into the god's private tent. Despite his fun earlier, he knew better than to waltz around where Suikotsu might see him, spattered in blood; at least during the daylight hours. Once the man's blood-lust took over during the evening performance, he had the whole night to indulge in whatever carnage he could get away with – by morning he'd be back to his well-mannered, controlled self. No, it was always best to wash your hands and clean your clothes after playing if you wanted to keep the townspeople blissfully ignorant. Of course, they'd only be staying another month at most, and then it wouldn't matter.

Lifting the door flap, the performer's face lit as he met not Suikotsu, but Bankotsu's welcoming smile. While caring was somewhat of a foreign concept to Jakotsu, unity was something he treasured highly among his fellow performers, and if anyone had earned his loyalty and respect, it was the aptly titled Bishamonten.

"Brother, I've finished prepping the Inugami. I've got him doing reps now, but if you'd like to see his routine I'd be happy to-"

"No need, Jakotsu" he answered with a wave of his hand. Turning away from Renkotsu who'd been seated beside him with a serious expression, he continued "I trust you've got it all handled. Though… I guess there _are_ some things I'd like to ask you about our halfbreed."

Perplexed, Jakotsu looked from Bankotsu's easy expression to Renkotsu's steely one, answering simply "sure thing" and seating himself comfortably on a nearby crate. Bankotsu smiled, and jerking his thumb back at the other man continued "Renkotsu here says he intercepted the dog and his wife sneaking back into the compound last night. They claimed they'd just been 'having fun' out in the woods, but Renkotsu doesn't buy it."

Scoffing, Jakotsu muttered "I'd rather not hear about their little escapades, thank you. Besides, what else would they be doing out in the woods? They came back, didn't they?"

Renkotsu's brows knit, but he answered evenly "Don't let jealousy cloud your judgement, Jakotsu. Tell me, has the halfbreed shown any signs of rebellion? Any indication that he's not here of his own free will?"

"Why?" Jakotsu asked, his head dipping in honest confusion, "Do you suspect them of something?"

"I suspect them of lying" he answered sternly, and at Bankotsu's snorting laughter, his voice grew tense. "With all due respect, brother Bankotsu, if we're being tricked, I'd like to be aware of it before I find a dagger in my back."

"What are you so worried about?" Bankotsu laughed, leaning back in his wooden chair as his arms crossed behind his head, "It's not like the halfbreed is any threat to us. He's outnumbered, and outmatched! He may be strong, but if he could fight back, don't you think he would have done it by now?"

Renkotsu remained skeptical, and seeing the stubborn attitudes of both his colleagues, Jakotsu quickly interjected "Bankotsu is right – he's no threat to us. Just this morning, I got him to grovel at my feet! I even had a rope around his neck, and all it took was a few words about his woman to get him to behave like a house-dog! I'm telling you, you're worrying for nothing."

"I wouldn't press him on his woman, Jakotsu" the fire-wielder responded in warning, "you're not used to victims with something to lose – they can get pretty nasty if pushed the wrong way."

Jakotsu merely shrugged, fiddling with the edge of his skirt and mumbling "I doubt he cares for her that much."

"Either way" Bankotsu threw in carelessly, "I won't bother worrying about the halfbreed until he steps out of line. We've got ways to make him behave if we have to, and if it comes to that then his woman won't make much of a difference."

Renkotsu's affirming grunt and Jakotsu's grin signaled the discussion ended, and the god of beauty spoke up affably "By the way, have you decided on who to use in the Inugami's act?"

"Actually," Bankotsu started with a spreading grin, "Suikotsu found the perfect specimen this morning: a little girl out on the sea-edge of the mountains, chewed up by wolves and barely alive. It was a good thing he found her after the blood-lust wore off, otherwise he might have finished her." He laughed again, propping his feet up on the crate across from him and continuing "I guess he thought she could be of some use, since there was no one around to claim her, so he brought her back here and patched her up enough to keep her breathing. I had Mukotsu go take a look at her this morning – he's got some plans already, and she'll be done in time for tomorrow's performance."

"She won't cause any trouble though, will she?" Bankotsu scoffed at Renkotsu's worried tone, and answered dismissively "Not like she could if she tried. She's half blind and had her tongue ripped out, and not from the wolves either. Probably a thief or a village outcast or something. We've got nothing to worry about."

Jakotsu grinned, rubbing his hands together as he mused "Hmm, the perfect victim then, to seek an Inugami's vengeance."

"Exactly what I was thinking" Bankotsu answered, meeting the other man's grin with a cruel smirk of his own.

* * *

Gentle hands reached into the tank of green water, pulling an unresponsive Ai onto a clean, dry square of cloth. Kagome noted for a moment how the process of drying and dressing the little girl was starting to become second-nature to her, and she prayed neither of them would have to endure it much longer. With the little half-demon warm and nodding off, Kagome placed her carefully into her cage, pausing to brush a stray strand of curls off a round cheek before locking her inside. Were it any other night, she would have been happy to give the half-demons some extra time after the performance to breathe, to enjoy their time outside of the bars, but….

"You're worried about something, aren't you Kagome?"

She didn't turn to face Jinenji right away; she knew she hadn't been very subtle at all that day, but there'd been a lot on her mind… and frankly she wasn't sure how much to share. "It's nothing… Inuyasha and I… had a little argument, that's all. I'm just anxious to put it behind us."

He made a thoughtful sound behind her, and she dared to turn and face him. She couldn't tell him that she was expecting an attack on the circus at any moment – she wouldn't make him liable for that. It would be better for all of them to be kept in the dark, locked safely away in their cages. Besides… it wasn't like she was lying. She _had_ been worrying about her 'husband'.

"He didn't come to visit us today" Jinenji whispered sadly, and Kagome couldn't help smiling a little at the emotion in the giant's words. She wondered if Inuyasha was aware of just how much Jinenji looked up to him… metaphorically speaking. Even the unresponsive half-demons seemed to change when he was around. They were comfortable around her, content even, but whenever he stopped by… she wasn't sure what to call it, but they were drawn to him, like moths to a flame. He was usually too worried about them to notice or care.

She hoped she would get the chance to tell him tonight. She hadn't had the heart to watch his bit at the end of the show, instead following the half-demons back to their part of camp. He hadn't come to eat lunch with her, or dinner, and he'd never returned to their tent. She'd spent hours at their tent, making preparations of her own, remembering everything he'd done for her the night before, hoping beyond hope that he'd be willing to put this whole silly mess behind them… but still she was left waiting.

"I'm sure the 'gods' were just keeping him away." She said it as much for herself as she did for him. "You know how they like to spoil things." Kagome noticed that Jinenji looked mildly uncomfortable with her words, but she ignored it as she lifted Shion into his cage, tucking a thin blanket around his legs and shutting him in as well. Glancing over at Shiori, already wrapped in her black robe and folded around her faintly glowing orb, Kagome moved to usher Jinenji to his own cage when a long, lone howl broke through the night air. Her eyes grew wide, hairs on the back of her neck standing on edge as silence once more fell over the camp. She remained rooted to the spot, her eyes trained on the distant rolling hills, until Jinenji's gentle voice broke her thoughts with a probing "Kagome?"

Her eyes darted to his, and she snapped "get inside the cage" with more intensity than she'd meant to, causing the gentle half-demon to cower a little. Cringing, Kagome tried again in a pleading voice "I'm sorry, it's just… it's not safe out in the open."

The half-demon's blue eyes widened, his large body moving in quick, choppy motions as panic set in, and he settled into his cage, letting Kagome lock him inside without protest. "What is it? Do-do you sense something?"

"Demons" she said quickly, and regretted it instantly when she saw Jinenji begin to shake. "It's alright, I don't think they've come for us. We should be safe." She patted herself on the back for comforting the half-demon as she watched his trembling lessen, but when his wide eyes turned to gaze at her with blossoming understanding, she knew she'd said too much.

"Kagome…"

"Just stay here – stay quiet, and don't draw attention to yourselves. They know not to hurt you. … Please." And without another word she ran off, before those blue eyes could convince her to say anymore. She hated lying to him, to any of them, but dammit all, if Jinenji wouldn't fight for his freedom, she would.

Coming up on the worker's tents, she slowed her pace – no reason to seem conspicuous. Her goal was to reach her tent, hopefully find Inuyasha, and lay low until Kouga's pack had done their job. It was as good a plan as she'd been able to concoct all day. The fact that she hadn't a clue where Inuyasha was at the moment was just something she couldn't help. She passed a few food vendors closing their shops and carpenters putting away their tools, trying not to exude the tension she felt in every fiber… and then another howl rent the air, and every living thing froze. Gazes met across the compound, silent questions flying from eye to eye as each person questioned 'was that as close as it sounded?'

Two more answering howls rose up from the front gates, and hell broke its tether. The craftsmen dropped their tools in the dirt as they raced for cover with panicked gasps. Vendors knocked their pots over still burning coals, letting the mess extinguish itself as they fled their tents. Screams and shouts broke through the night, and above it all, Kagome could hear the snarls and snaps of the wolves drawing ever nearer on pounding feet. Their brown fur burst like autumn leaves from among the tents before her, and Kagome fell back with a startled cry as they sped past. A few of them turned their muzzles in her direction, but with a growl they were off again, and Kagome breathed a sigh of relief to realize that Kouga was keeping his end of their bargain. It was then that the demon himself emerged, following behind his pack at a slower pace than she knew he was capable of. She stayed motionless on the ground, her eyes trained on him, and he sent her only the hint of a smirk before rushing past towards his destination: the main tent and the seven performers.

Kagome stayed prone on the cold ground minutes after they'd passed, regaining her breath. She could still make it to her tent; no one would question or even know of her close encounter; but the thought of Inuyasha, still trapped at the epicenter of the fight, had her feet following an altogether different direction.

* * *

Inuyasha heard them coming before he caught their scent, but he kept both to himself. Jakotsu had him resetting the stage props, the flickering light of the torches framing their work area in flame, the only light he had to work by on such a dark night. The other stage-hands had left, leaving him and the gods alone, and he'd be damned if he gave any of them a heads up on the attack. But when the screams of the remaining workers became audible to even their human ears, he knew he'd have to say something.

Renkotsu tensed as he leaned a bundle of fireworks against the back wall, his features alert. "Haflbreed, what's all that racket about?"

Playing it off as casually as he could, Inuyasha paused in stacking another beam, rising to full height and flicking an ear for effect. "It's hard to hear over the yells – something's comin' this way though."

"I want to know what it is" Renkotsu said darkly, approaching Inuyasha with a look that left no room for argument. Behind him Bankotsu had stopped his own activity to watch, the rest of the group following suit. Swallowing in sudden nerves, Inuyasha decided it was time to play along.

Nodding, the half-demon closed his eyes and breathed deeply, sniffing the air intently for a scent he could hardly catch. He could hear them clearly though, and opening his eyes to meet Renkotsu's glare, he answered in a shaking voice "Wolves. Lots of 'em."

"Dammit!" The performer spat, whipping back to grab his fire canon from where it lay on the ground. "I knew we needed tighter security than the bull!"

"We'll deal with that later" Bankotsu shot back, shouldering his massive barbell and directing the others to grab weapons as well. The young man's gaze fell on Inuyasha, watching the group ready themselves for a fight, and he said with authority "Hey, Inugami, you'll fight these wolves for us, or you and your little woman end up as their next meal. Got it?"

Inuyasha's hands were shaking, and he hoped the other men would take it for nerves, and not what it really was: eagerness to finally get some good hits on the wolf who'd dared touch his wife. He wouldn't kill him – he was in no mood to jeopardize their entire plan… but he didn't mind adding a little realism to the ruse.

The group remained where they were, backed against the wall of the stage, weapons at the ready as the sound of panting breaths grew louder. Glancing about, Inuyasha knew he had to think up a plan and fast: they were too close – it would be too hard for the wolves to single out Kyoukotsu like this, and more likely they'd get themselves killed. Not that he cared much for a pack of blood-thirsty predators, but they'd made an agreement, and he intended to make good on his end. As the first of the pack rounded the corner, Inuyasha made a split-second decision and charged, drawing himself away from the group. He kept his claws concealed as he pulled his punches, still managing to stun a few wolves who got too close.

They were avoiding him for the most part though, and Inuyasha realized that they must have had a strategy of their own. Throwing a few more soft hits, he watched as the wolves carefully evaded the other performers, their noses working overtime as they worked to single out their real target – and single out they did, as their eyes rimmed with white and they lifted their muzzles to the heavens to howl at the moon no one could see. From the shadows outside the torchlight, their leader emerged, and the budding fight came to a stand-still as Kouga stood before them, fire reflecting and melting the ice of his blue eyes.

"I've come to take revenge for my fallen comrades" he said in a low voice, arms crossed over his healed chest and thick fur robes. His burning gaze lifted to meet Kyoukotsu's with hatred, and his fangs showed in a deadly snarl as he spat "You'll pay for what you've done, monster!" He leapt before any of the gods could react, twirling midair and raking his claws in a long line across the giant's back. Kyoukotsu roared, and the rest of the gods jumped into action. Kouga dodged with inhuman speed as each of the performers threw their arsenal at him: Suikotsu's daggers, Mukotsu's poison darts, Renkotsu's flames. Ginkotsu's metal smile remained unchanged as rifles rolled and clicked and locked into place on his back, firing away at the wolf as he jumped about.

Watching from the edge of the chaos, Inuyasha saw Jakotsu unfurl the snake around his shoulders, and just as he flicked it back to fling the string of blades at the demon who couldn't keep dodging for long, Inuyasha flung himself into the fray. His own speed had his fist meeting Kouga's jaw in a solid crack, and the wolf was on the ground and rolling away before the snake could change form. At once the projectiles ceased.

Inuyasha didn't have time for relief – he had known his plan would work. It had to. He had banked on the importance of his act, and the seven performers had proven him right: they wouldn't risk damaging their Inugami. Of course… that meant he now had to fight Kouga himself, and make it look believable. He could see the confusion in the wolf-demon's eyes slowly morph into understanding as he punched and scratched; it was enough to hurt, but not enough to injure. This was demon scrapping, nothing more, but to a human it would look like a real fight. Both of them knew it couldn't last forever though, and he could tell that Kouga was already looking for a way out.

As he lunged to swipe across Kouga's stomach, the wolf leapt away from him, landing on his knees and whistling for his pack to follow. They retreated to his side where they'd been posturing at the edges of the firelight, and with only a few steps, they'd backed away into the concealing shadows.

"Inugami!" Inuyasha's ears flattened as Bankotsu's usually calm voice burst out over the small clearing with livid anger. "Where've they gone?!"

Growling, Inuyasha sniffed, listening to the soft pad of paws as they crept around the perimeter of the stage. He bit back a smirk – the sneaky bastards were planning to attack from behind… but how to hide that bit of news? He was kept from having to concoct a story when a sound and a scent so familiar came rushing up that he couldn't help gasping out "Kagome!" And suddenly she was there, stumbling into the firelight, her chest heaving from running so far, black hair half falling in her face from the red ribbon she'd tied it in, kosode sleeves pulled back behind her and her green school hakama brushing over her black shoes as she bent slightly from exertion. He drank in the sight of her, wondering if the _real_ Benzaiten looked even _half_ as beautiful.

Then her eyes met his, traveling slowly over his form, growing wider and wider in fear and absolute devastation, and his name left her lips in a distraught cry of "Inuyasha!"

He didn't understand – he couldn't recall what about his appearance would have made her so upset, he was just so, so happy to see her, but his happiness was short lived. "INUGAMI! NOW!"

Both of them turned to the impatient Bankotsu, and Inuyasha answered hesitantly "I… I'm not sure. I can't smell them over the scent they already left. It's too fresh."

He could hear Suikotsu muttering darkly at the back of the group, and Jakotsu spoke up harshly "Well? Can't you hear anything?!"

"… They've stopped moving."

Huffing angrily, the god of beauty snarled at them, grasping the enchanted snake in his hands and twisting it as he hissed "This is all _your_ fault, you stupid woman! If you hadn't come barging in where you weren't wanted –"

"Leave her outta this." Inuyasha growled, standing protectively between Kagome and the volatile man.

Jakotsu's face only grew more embittered, but Bankotsu's stern "Leave it" had his expression falling.

"But Brother Banko-"

"I said leave it. We don't have time for this." His voice fell to a hush, his free hand rising in warning as he spoke in a whisper that Inuyasha could barely catch "I smell an ambush."

"Kagome" Inuyasha spoke quietly, turning to meet her worried gaze, "stay behind me. Whatever happens, don't get involved."

She nodded, but her eyes drifted to his bare back, her hand rising to her throat and her gaze turning haunted as she said softly "Inuyasha… you're hurt."

Bringing his own hand to his collar, feeling the semi-dry, sticky substance still clinging to his skin, he winced. The boar's blood. Damn that Jakotsu to hell seven times over. Reaching behind him, he grasped her hand wordlessly in his, fighting a smile as her fingers squeezed his painfully tight. He wouldn't tell her the truth just yet – it was only helping their cover for her to think he'd been hurt some time during the fight. That didn't mean he would turn her away though. He could smell the sea-salt on her skin, and that paired with her new wardrobe only made the urge to smile stronger: she'd found his present. It seemed she'd accepted his apology. For his part, he couldn't remember why he'd been so mad at her to begin with.

The hand in his flinched and a violent gasp ripped from Kagome as the curtain behind Kyoukotsu was torn to shreds, and a dozen wolves leapt on the performer's back, biting and clawing with fervor. But just as soon as the attack had started, it ceased, the wolves jumping away as though they'd been burned. Their whimpers filled the clearing, and Inuyasha backed slightly into Kagome's warmth. Something was wrong – something about the circus god had spooked the beasts. In the wake of the attack, Kyoukotsu began to chuckle, a deep-throated sound that soon evolved into a full-blown, bellowing laugh. His head was thrown back, the fire-light casting mountainous black shadows against the torn remains of the stage curtain. Suddenly the bellow rose in pitch, dissolving into a gurgle, and Inuyasha saw the jagged end of a wooden beam protruding from the giant god's neck, a spike of black against the backdrop of the stage. Kyoukotsu's knees buckled, but he didn't fall, a laughing smile lighting his features as he grabbed the end of the beam and pulled it the rest of the way through his neck to dislodge it entirely.

Inuyasha heard a gagging noise behind him and pushed Kagome out of the line of sight, but the damage was already done.

"You think that's enough to kill me?"

The wolves were attacking again, clawing like mad but never biting, and the gods had resumed their volley of attacks, but Inuyasha didn't dare join the fray. If all _that_ couldn't bring one of them down… dammit all, what _could_? A few of the wolves fell dead from the attacks of the circus men, but the rest never let up, and Inuyasha lost sight of Kouga in all the mayhem. Another whistle sounded through the din, and the remaining wolves pulled back, five of their pack littering the ground like fallen soldiers.

A heavy silence hung over the clearing, the remaining fighters waiting on pins and needles for the next attack. It came in a near silent slice of claws through skin as Kyoukotsu's head slid slowly down his shoulders to land with a crunching thud at his knees. His body soon followed suit.

There was silence save for the pounding of paws against dirt as the wolf-pack sped away in the shadows out of sight, until Bankotsu's quiet order of "kill them" sent the remaining gods bolting after the escaping assassins. With a parting, expectant look at Inuyasha, Bankotsu took off after them.

Turning to a haunted Kagome, Inuyasha grasped her shoulders lightly, relishing in the feel of her as he said earnestly "Listen, go back to the tent, and wait for me there. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Her gaze drifted to the corpse bathed in black shadows, ringed by wolves like some blasphemous shrine offering, but her mouth set in a determined line and she tore her eyes away to give Inuyasha a firm nod. Without wasting another second he sped off after the performers, trying to beat back the unsettling thought that from the first scratch to the moment his head hit the floor, Kyoukotsu's body hadn't produced a single drop of blood.

* * *

Kagome was sure she'd checked and rechecked the fire about fifty times before Inuyasha finally came stumbling back to their tent. Her worry over him had been consuming, and to fight it she'd had to let other things consume her, like making sure she wouldn't accidentally boil her husband alive. She could feel his aura approaching as she stood in the alcove, and met him before he could get too close – she still hoped to give him a surprise or two, despite his half-demon senses. He looked distracted enough that she figured she had a chance.

"They killed three more." His amber eyes were darkened in shadow, and she paused in her greeting. "The rest managed to escape into the forest. They didn't want me going in there after 'em, which was fine with me." He stopped just short of her, hesitating, and reached for her hand with a tight grip. "They're questionin' Izumo though. Layin' into him pretty hard. I… I'm sorry."

Kagome winced, her chest burning with the thought of what the men might do to the half-demon. After what he'd risked for them, after what he'd done for her that morning… "It's my fault. I shouldn't have involved him."

"Hey. It ain't no one's fault but his own. He chose to help us, didn't he?" Leaning down to meet her saddened gaze, Inuyasha attempted a half-smirk and said "Besides, your plan worked! One down,"

"Six more to go." She finished morosely. "We've only just begun." Her eyes turned to him then, dropping to his blood stained neck, and her vision grew misty as she said in a thick voice "Inuyasha, tell me what happened. Tell me you're alright, because if I have to look at you like this for much longer, I'll"

"Kagome, relax, it ain't my blood."

Confusion caught in her throat, and he quickly explained "It's part of the 'Inugami' getup: the severed dog-head, see?" Bringing a hand to his throat, he smeared the thick blood away as best he could, showing her the lack of a wound. "They covered me with flour and boars blood as part of the show… I guess you missed my act then."

Relief overwhelmed her at the sight of the blood wiping away to show unblemished, tan skin. She'd thought he'd looked paler, and had chalked it up to blood-loss. Now though, knowing she'd been caught ditching his act, Kagome forgot her worries and was left floundering for excuses.

"Well, I was… you see… after yesterday…."

"Ah hell," Inuyasha said suddenly, pulling her from her stuttering, "It ain't like I wasn't avoiding you too. I mean, after what Jakotsu did to me, with all this freaky make-up, I was kinda… stayin' away on purpose."

"I'm glad it was just fake" Kagome said with a sigh, clutching the seams of her kosode, "after what Mukotsu said this morning, I thought –"

"Mukotsu? He was botherin' you?"

The breath in her lungs seized instantly. She'd forgotten that he didn't know. At the time she'd wanted so badly for him to come save her, but now… now she wanted to save him _from_ it. She knew exactly what his reaction would be.

But just as she knew how he would react, she knew it would be impossible to hide. "It… it was just something he said… one of those stupid threats. He threatened to give you a dog's head. You know he wouldn't do it though."

She knew how stubborn he could be when he had a destination in mind, and wasn't at all surprised when he ignored her statement to ask " _Where_ did he threaten you, Kagome?"

The answer rolled around on her tongue for a while, and she wondered how direct to be, but she knew he would figure it out on his own and so answered simply "Here."

That was all it took for him to drop to the ground, his nose practically in the dirt as he sniffed out a trail of the unwelcome circus-freak. He made a sound of dismay as he caught the scent, his nose following it to their door, following it to the side, following to the edge of the crate wall he'd so carefully built… and his body went stiff as a board, ears laid back in his white hair.

"He… he came and found me while I was"

"While you were bathing." His voice was a hoarse whisper, and as he rose to his feet, Kagome rushed to his side, grasping his arm in reassurance; he flinched from her hold.

"Inuyasha, I know what you're thinking, and it's alright. You couldn't have known he'd come looking for me right when I used it! You can't be watching over me every second of the day!"

He shook his head, refusing to look her in the eye despite her best efforts. "I should have been here. I should have protected you from him. It was my own damn fault for lettin' my anger get the better of me. If I had only said something to you sooner…" His fist clenched and slammed against the crate beside it: the wall shook slightly, making Kagome worry for her new bathing area. "If I can't even protect you from one creep like that, how the hell am I supposed to get us all outta here?!"

"You're not alone in this" Kagome whispered, leaning against his thick mane of hair, "we just… need to be together again. United, y'know? Like we used to be. We need to trust each other."

She smiled as Inuyasha finally turned his head to meet her eyes, his gaze a deep bronze in the dark of the night. "He… he didn't hurt ya, did he?"

"No. Nothing happened. I mean, I was pretty spooked, I'll give you that, but Izumo showed up before he could really get close."

The self-hate that had been clouding his eyes before was quickly pushed away in a new cloud of confusion. Lifting his head from the wall, he met her expression more fully as he asked "Izumo? What was he doing here?"

"That's just it! I don't really know!" Kagome answered excitedly. "He told Mukotsu that he'd been ordered back for training, and then turned away so I could get out and get changed, and then he escorted me to the rest of the half-demons! Inuyasha… he was so different, and that was when…" she bit her lip, and her voice dropped to a whisper as she continued "that was when I knew I could ask him to help us."

Inuyasha was stunned, but soon melancholy took over as he muttered "and what does he get for his noble deeds? A good beating from the humans. You realize this'll probably be the last time he'll ever willingly help us out, right?"

"Maybe" she pondered, eyes drifting down as her hand played through strands of his silver hair. "And maybe he'll surprise us again." He scoffed, but Kagome wasn't about to let things end there. She hadn't gone to all that trouble burning wood and gathering water to have her half-demon end the night in a sour mood. Gripping his ashen shoulder, she pulled him away from the wall to face her smile. There was still guilt marring his features, and she was determined to banish it. "I was going to wait, you know" she said softly, holding his eyes with hers, "I knew I should have waited to use the bath until you came back… but I was just so excited, I couldn't help myself!" Kagome saw the tiniest hint of a smile tug at his lips, and she couldn't resist brushing her hand through the hair at the side of his face. "Thank you for bringing it here, Inuyasha. Apology accepted."

His hands came up to grasp her face, his forehead pressed firmly against hers, blocking the faint light of the stars between them and drenching her world into shadow where all that existed was his voice whispering "No more leaving the camp without me, and no more baths without me neither, alright?" Despite the fervor in his words, Kagome couldn't help but giggle, feeling the heat from his face as he sputtered "I didn't mean- not that you should bathe _with_ me, just – no more makin' yourself vulnerable when I'm not around to protect you, alright?"

Smiling, she pulled gently from his hold and reached up to grasp his hands, saying "the same goes for you though" as he looked back at her perplexed. Leading him carefully through the alcove, she watched with amusement as his nose sniffed the air and understanding dawned on his face. "You didn't think I'd let my husband share my bed smelling like wolf, did you?" He glanced at her sheepishly, no doubt expecting to see the same petty anger she'd shown him the night before, but all he met was a teasing smile.

Releasing her hands, Inuyasha wandered to the edge of the tub and dipped in a few clawed fingers, letting loose an appreciative grunt that had Kagome beaming – she knew he didn't like a scalding bath, and had worked so hard to get it just right. He turned back to her with glowing eyes, leaning against the wooden rim as he said huskily "So… this all for me?"

Biting her lip in a shy smile she nodded, her hands meeting behind her back as her fingers fiddled nervously. In a way, this was her apology too, and she hoped he'd accept.

"Well?" He said expectantly, and for a moment Kagome stopped fidgeting, lost as to what he wanted, until he finished with a smirk "turn around" and she obeyed with a squeak. She heard him chuckling behind her and rolled her eyes, but she couldn't fight her own smile. She'd missed these carefree moments with him.

"There's a bucket of water around back" she called over her shoulder, trying to distract herself from the sound of falling cloth, "You can use it to rinse off the blood. No sense staining the tub." She listened to his feet padding across the ground, her cheeks warming at the realization that he was naked just a few feet away. Her flustered state was interrupted by a sharp bark of laughter, and Kagome almost turned around as she snapped in confusion "What's so funny?"

"Nice rag" was all he said, before Kagome remembered what she'd done and was hard-pressed not to laugh herself. There weren't many spare pieces of cloth to waste for things like cleaning rags, so when the need had presented itself, Kagome had gladly sacrificed her torn blue skirt for the job. It was wide enough that she could get a few more squares from it, and if the boar's blood became a regular part of Inuyasha's performance, they'd need them.

"Glad you like it. Try not to ruin it too much though; I only have so much of that fabric."

"Speakin' of which," he muttered behind her, the sound of sloshing water and the wet slap of cloth painting a picture in Kagome's mind which she really didn't mind, "how the hell did you manage to rip the thing up the side anyways?"

Face burning in embarrassment, Kagome said hesitantly "I was just… trying to rip a bandage… off the bottom."

There was silence for a moment, and then Inuyasha's amused tone adding "Idiot… didn't you notice the weave was going the other way?"

With an angry huff Kagome turned to glare at the grin she could hear in his voice. "Excuse me, I was a little preoccu-EEK!"

"THE HELL, WOMAN!"

Kagome's hand slapped to her mouth as a torrent of giggles burst to the surface, Inuyasha's clawed hands gripping the rim of the tub and ears peeking over the edge all she could see of him… at the moment. She'd seen much more as he'd stood to the side, pulling his mane of hair away to towel the blood from the back of his neck before he'd finally realized she'd been facing him. Unfortunately it'd been too dark to see in much detail. She wouldn't tell him though – she was enjoying his mortification far too much.

"Can you turn around please?!"

With a shrug she turned to face the entryway again, listening to his muttered curses as he finished washing and dumped the remainder of the bucket over himself. Even after the sloshing around in the tub died down as he settled himself, she waited until he said tersely "Okay, you can look" before she dared face him again.

The moment she saw him though, she found she couldn't move. It had been a long time since she'd witnessed a moment like this, and each time… it took her breath away. There was just something about seeing him at night, or in the natural world, that always transported her somewhere else. Leaned back against the rim of the wooden bath, eyes closed and brows pinched as he released a shaky breath, the air around him felt fragile, as if the slightest move would shatter it. Bathed in steam and frosted in starlight, he looked for all the world like a celestial being, and Kagome was overcome with strangest urge to worship him.

She sucked in a breath, shaking her head slightly to dislodge the thought, catching the attention of her subject of interest as he opened a golden eye to glance at her questioningly. The strange vision became earthier, more tangible, but still the feeling remained. But this wasn't a heavenly creature, a spirit or a god or even an Inugami: he was half-man, half-demon, and as real as she was. He was known to have a temper, was unknowingly kind, his stubbornness was a real pain in the neck… and above it all, she loved him like she'd never loved anyone before. Like she never _wanted_ to love anyone else.

He was her best friend, her half-demon, her husband, _hers_ – and she wouldn't lose him to theatrics and boar's blood and starlight. In that moment, she needed to remind herself that he wasn't something beyond her reach. Looking about the crate-wall, her eyes fell on the desired cubby and reached in to find the coarse cloth she'd set aside. She turned to see his back to her, his arms stretched out over the rim, his ears flicked back and trained on her movements, and smiled.

"Say, Inuyasha?"

"Hm?"

Wringing the cloth between her hands, she took a few steps forward and continued in a strained voice "Can I scrub your back for you?"

His head whipped around so fast that the wet ends of his forelocks plastered around his neck and shoulders, wide eyes locked with hers, both of their cheeks sporting red.

"Uh… I…."

His flustered reaction calmed some of the empty aching, but still… there was something inside her that demanded this contact with him. Somehow, she knew it was something they both needed.

"Just a quick scrub" she said eagerly, taking another step forward, noting happily that he didn't flinch or move away. "I'm sure you could use it after all the training…."

He held her eyes only a moment more before turning back without a word, Kagome nervously awaiting his verdict. Then his clawed hands lifted, gripping the mass of soaked white hair to lay it to one side of his neck, his shoulder blades arching as he leaned forward slightly, and Kagome rushed forward. Dipping the cloth into the warm water and shivering at the difference it made in the cool night air, she laid her left hand atop his shoulder and got to work.

It felt marvelous, but not for the reasons she'd thought it would. For every brush against his skin, every contented sigh from his lips, she could feel another stitch being sewn between them. Her hands were the needle threading the string of her soul into the fabric of his, and after a while she was forced to stop as her eyes began to prickle uncomfortably.

The half-demon under her ministrations let out a distinctly canine whine and muttered "What you stoppin' for?"

Kagome smiled softly in response, resuming her scrubbing with a quiet "Oh? So you like it now?"

"It ain't so bad. After all, my back's pretty messed up from training, right?"

Laughing quietly, shaking her head as he rose a little for her to reach more of his skin, Kagome fell into rhythm as she continued the intimate service. She didn't realize she'd started humming until Inuyasha's voice cut her off.

"What song is that?"

It took a moment to remember just what tune had been running through her mind, and she was happy to find the song from that morning still evoked nostalgia instead of the acrid fear that had followed it.

"My mother used to sing it on walks" Kagome explained, dipping the cloth into the water again before running it over his shoulders, "would you like to hear it?"

A quick nod was her only response, but she could sense his eagerness, and sang out softly

"In that town, in this town, the sun is going down, sun is going down;

Hurry back the way you came, go back to your home, go back to your home.

You've traveled very far today, your home has gone away, home has gone away;

Hurry back the way you came, go back to your home, go back to your home.

In the evening sky above the stars begin to shine, stars begin to shine;

Hurry back the way you came, go back to your home, go back to your home."

Her last words fell to trembling silence as wet, clawed fingers came to rest over the hand still holding his shoulder, his voice deep as he said "not a happy song, is it?"

Kagome stopped her scrubbing motions, her other hand coming to rest on the opposite shoulder as she responded "It's not meant to be. It's a warning – about getting lost. It felt… fitting." He nodded, and she wondered if he'd say more, but he did nothing except lightly stroke his fingers over hers. The rough cloth slipped from her hand as her arm slid across his wet skin, her hand leaving his grip as she wrapped him in a hug from behind. "Not everything is happy" she whispered, her cheek pressed into his damp hair, "that's why we make songs – to help carry us along until we can find those happy moments again."

Nuzzling against him, feeling his hands resting against her crossed arms, Kagome felt empowered. She felt she could tell him anything. Maybe… maybe she could finally say in words what she felt he should already know. "Inuyasha… being with you… makes me happy." She was sure she could feel his heartbeat beneath her hands, and as he turned slightly in her grasp, she pulled away to look into his golden eyes. "Even in this horrible place, even surrounded by these creeps… even when you're being a jerk," he gave her a half-grin, and her eyes sparkled, "I'm still happy to be here with you. Please, don't ever send me away." His mouth opened to say something, some protest she was sure, but she didn't need to hear it. Her lips closed over his, stealing his breath as her arms turned him toward her.

It was surprising how quickly he lost all those ethereal qualities as soon as she kissed him. Kissing him was raw and earthy, something she could feel in her bones and never mistake for a spirit. Even his first hesitant responses were grounding, and soon he was leaning against the edge of the bath, his wet chest soaking the front of her robe as he gathered her into his muscled arms. He nibbled at her lip, sucking it into his mouth as she gasped and tried to do the same. She could taste salt on his lips, and delved her tongue in the warmth of his mouth to see what other flavors she could find. Inuyasha pushed back against her more, but it took Kagome a moment to realize he was pushing her away, even as his tongue took its own taste.

Her lips peeled from his as she stumbled back, his hands gently putting distance between them. Her dark eyes searched his in silent question, glad to see he wasn't angry, but grinning almost shyly as he mumbled "just… go over there for a minute, will ya?"

Crossing her arms over her dampened front, Kagome raised an eyebrow and said in a voice husky and somewhat annoyed "Why should I?"

"Because" he answered in a tone mirroring hers, "I need to get outta this thing and I don't want you peekin' at me again."

Sputtering, she turned on her heel, only a foot or so away as Inuyasha clambered from the tub behind her. There was an awkward silence between them, and Kagome felt herself already missing their connection – until a sudden spray of water against her back left her shrieking, and a snickering sound let her know exactly what had happened. "You could have warned me!" But she couldn't hide her smile, even as he came around to face her, dry as a bone from his dog-shake and already dressed in his night-robe.

"Consider it pay-back" he jibed, heading away from her toward the tent entrance.

Kagome shook her head, calling after him "It's not as if I even saw anything! It's so dark out, I can barely see you _now_!"

A muttered laugh was all she got in response, and quickly her feet padded after him; she stopped after only a few steps though to see Inuyasha blocking her path, his face turned up to the heavens.

"Kagome" he said quietly, his voice devoid of its previous humor, "where's the moon?"

She didn't think of it at first, but turned her own face to the sky, searching for the white sphere that should have been easy to find. All she saw were stars upon stars, but then "I see it! It's…" the answer hit her like another spray of water, and her eyes fell to meet the faint glimmer of his as she finished faintly "it's almost gone."

"Tomorrow it won't be there at all." His mouth was a tight line, brows pinching together as worry invaded every feature. It broke Kagome's heart to see. She hadn't gone to all this trouble to make him comfortable tonight just to lose him to his fears now.

"So then we'll worry about it tomorrow" and with that she grabbed his hand and pulled him into the tent, nearly shoving him down onto their cot as she lit the gas lamp on the floor and got herself ready for bed. She could feel his eyes following her as she undid her ribbon and set it on their dresser, and though he respectfully turned away as she changed into her own night-clothes, she thought she caught him watching her out of the corner of his eye once or twice. Since the only glimpses he caught were of her European underclothes, she didn't mind all that much. Approaching his side once more, all it took was a shooing motion with her hand for him to make room, and she sidled in beside him, leaning down to turn off the lamp and let her eyes adjust to the darkness.

Settling into the blankets and the feel of a body warm and solid beside her, Kagome closed her eyes and sighed in contentment. It was quite the change from the night before, and she'd be happy to never have a night like that again. Inuyasha shifted beside her, turning towards her in the dark, and she adjusted to nestle herself against his kosode while his head and arm rested above her crown.

"These blankets are different" he spoke up above her, his breath rustling through her hair.

Kagome fought off a yawn as she answered "I washed the other ones. They're hanging to dry out back." She felt him yawn in return, and smiling she added sleepily "I'll wash your clothes sometime tomorrow too. They're probably rank by now."

She heard the laugh rumbling through his chest, and his voice puffed out over her head "Ain't you the busy little wife."

Hiding herself a little further in his shirt, she mumbled "Don't get used to it. If they didn't keep you so busy I'd expect you to help."

Kagome was surprised to hear, instead of grumbling, a soft and sincere "I don't expect my wife to cook and clean for me. I know how to pull my own weight." His free arm lifted over her, pulling the blanket to cover her shoulder before settling down on her waist.

It took all her might to keep her breathing steady, to hide the sudden pounding of her heart. He hadn't meant it to sound like that… had he? Like they really were married, or like… like he intended them to one day be. But whatever he had meant by his words, it seemed she wouldn't get an explanation that night; already she could feel his breath evening out and the heavy weight of his arm as it grew limp around her.

* * *

*Author's Note:

Not quite on the schedule I planned for myself, but certainly sooner than any other updates! :P

also, in case anyone is wondering about the song, it's a slightly altered translation of the children's folk song "Anomachi Konomachi" which you can listen to at this link (just remove the spaces :3) www. youtube watch?v=Cgu2k-Xlw7I (this link is just the music without the lyrics, but it's the one I listened to most while writing this - here's one with the Japanese lyrics included! www. youtube watch?v=C2NB5NwKySw )

Also big thanks to those who have been sticking with me and this story all this time! You don't know what it means to me! This au is a labor of love, and I mean it - it's a LOT of hard work. But I enjoy writing it, and whenever I see that others are reading and enjoying it too, it just puts me over the moon! :D I know it's a long haul between chapters and we still have a ways to go, but the fic is still moving forward, and there are more surprises to come!


	7. New Discoveries

~Freak Attraction: Seven-Man Circus~

Chapter Seven: New Discoveries

* * *

Another chime sounded at the front door, nearly wrenching a groan from the woman just sitting down to her warm cup of tea. She knew who it would be, and since it wasn't her darling daughter or the dog-eared young man finally coming home, she was in no hurry to answer it. Still, the bell continued to ring, and Mrs. Higurashi rose from the table to see to her household duties. Three teenage girls looked eagerly up at her as she slid the front door open, and although she'd grown fond of her daughter's friends, she had no more news to tell them today than yesterday.

"I'm sorry girls, but Kagome is still unwell. She's just not up to having guests right now." Their crestfallen expressions tugged at her heart, and a sincere smile worked its way onto her face as she stepped aside with a kind "would you like to come in for some tea?"

Yuka shook her head respectfully, saying "Thank you ma'am, but we don't want to be a bother. We're just worried about her is all."

"I know girls, I know" Mrs. Higurashi answered softly, "but with rest and enough time to recover, she'll be as good as new! She won't disappear on us again." They each nodded, a haunted look in their young eyes as they recalled the months their friend had been missing. To the older woman, it seemed as though they still blamed themselves. Kagome had never told them how grateful she was they'd made her skip school that day.

"Hi girls! Sorry to make you worry."

Four sets of eyes snapped to the figure approaching down the hallway, though none were as surprised as Mrs. Higurashi. The only thing keeping her from falling in a heap on the floor was the slight squeakiness to the voice which didn't fit the body housing it.

"K-Kagome!" Eri gasped, "You're well enough to get up? We thought you were bedridden!"

'Kagome' giggled, somewhat nervously it seemed to Mrs. Higurashi's ears, and pulled her shawl closer over her shoulders. "Well, you've all been coming around so often, I just had to see you and say thanks!" Her eyes darted to her mother's, but the older woman just watched in silence, a slightly amused and somewhat exasperated look in her eye. Kagome coughed for effect and brought a dainty hand to her head as she swayed dramatically. "I'm still too ill to be up long," she started in a strained, rasping voice, "and this cough has ruined my throat unfortunately."

"That's too bad," Ayumi added softly. "Is there anything we can get for you? Would you like some company? Hojo's been asking about you for days, and we'd be happy to let him know when he can visit!"

The other girls brightened immediately, hopeful eyes beaming at Kagome across the foyer in anticipation of her excitement. There was no excitement or even embarrassment however: her smile turned upwards, almost into a smirk, and Mrs. Higurashi thought she saw those dark eyes start to bleed green as Kagome responded "No, you don't need to bother him. I'm well looked after! Besides, I don't think my fiancé would appreciate it." In the time it took the three friends to process those words, Mrs. Higurashi gave the girl beside her a stern glance. It was returned with mischief in every inch.

"What!? Kagome, since when have you had a fiancé?"

"Who is he, Kagome?"

"Why haven't you mentioned him before?"

Turning suddenly bashful, Kagome retreated into the fabric of her shawl as she simpered out "His name is Inuyasha, and he's just wonderful! He helped me find my way back home when I got lost all those months back, and we've been in love ever since!" Hands clasping dramatically to her chest, Kagome continued "I can't imagine my life without him now! You'll just have to tell Hojo that I can no longer see him. It wouldn't be fair to keep his hopes up like this."

Oblivious to the hammy acting of their sick friend, the girls shared looks of shock in near silence, until Eri spoke up curiously "So… where is your fiancé? Can we meet him?"

"He's gone to get me medicine in town" Kagome answered quickly, dismissing the second question almost at once. "He's such a good man, always looking out for me like that!"

The confusion had yet to fade from the three faces as they were coerced into saying goodbyes and eventually turned away from the house. All questions about when he would be back and when they were to be wed were expertly evaded by a Kagome who seemed increasingly hale and high-voiced. The only thing saving the failing performance was the dazed state of Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi as they half-listened with whirling minds. Finally shutting the door on the retreating group, Mrs. Higurashi folded her arms and tried to keep from smiling as she said firmly "Kagome isn't going to like you spreading rumors like this."

There was a popping puff of smoke, and Kagome disappeared to be replaced by a grinning, red-haired fox demon. "I know, I know" Shippo answered, hopping up onto the woman's shoulder, "but maybe it'll give those two a push in the right direction!"

Ruffling the little demon-boys hair, Mrs. Higurashi gave him an affectionate smile and carried him into the kitchen to fetch him a snack for his troubles and finally finish her tea.

* * *

It was a silent morning. A heavy air of expectancy hung in the tent, bearing down on the shoulders of the half-demon seated on the cot's edge. One downy dog-ear flicked at the soft sigh of the woman behind him, still lost in slumber as light seeped into the thin crack of the tent flap. He listened for any other sounds, but she wasn't even close to waking yet, and he had no desire to disturb her. She'd worked so hard last night to comfort him, to mend their bond, and she deserved to rest as long as their duties would allow. Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder to watch her sleep, lashes brushing her cheeks and lips slightly pursed, with the hand beneath her curled by her cheek and the other reaching out to his side of the small bed. He wanted to be there with her, to feel the gentle pressure of that hand on his chest and the warmth of her breath against his shoulder, but his mind wouldn't let him rest.

Tonight would be a New Moon. Tonight he would lose his demonic powers and become human. There was no telling what the six remaining Circus Gods would do to him should they find out. 'They won't find out' he told himself firmly, 'I don't care what I have to do; if I have to fake being sick or poison myself for real, I'll keep this secret from those creeps.' He was only half convinced by his plans, and knew that Kagome would be even harder to persuade. But there was no other option.

Nightmarish remembrances from Naraku's circus flooded his mind: demons crowding his cage during his human time, their ugly faces pressing in as they shoved rotted pieces of human flesh through the bars, specially saved from feeding nights. Sometimes the fox-women would come to taunt him, tugging his chains and pulling his limbs through the bars as they shape-shifted into human women with painted white faces and blackened teeth, simpering and cooing to throw him off his guard. He hated them too much to ever fall for their tricks of seduction, and every time one reached inside his cage in an attempted caress, they ended up with a broken wrist. Demons like Hiten had taken full advantage of his vulnerable state. Thunder-pike in hand, the acrobat would spend hours during the moonless night testing Inuyasha's human limits, jolting him every now and then with just the tip of the pike, giving him enough time to recover before electrocuting him again. Come sunrise, the physical signs of abuse would vanish, and the demons would ignore his presence until their next chance to make sport of him; but the rising sun could never erase his memories.

The Shichifukujin were _not_ going to find out about his human night.

His dog-ears perked at the light crunch of gravel approaching their tent in a scraping, uneven gait. The scent was familiar, even if the rhythm of the steps was not. With a last glance back at Kagome's sleeping face, Inuyasha rose from the cot and went to meet the messenger, glad that the woman wouldn't have to see what was sure to be a grizzly sight.

And it was. Izumo's face was mottled black and blue with bruises, his left eye swollen shut and blood caked over a laceration on his bottom lip. The parts of his forearms peeking from his folded sleeves showed similar blotches, and Inuyasha guessed that the odd pace of his walk was probably due to a limp. At least the six gods hadn't killed him, but they'd repaid his lax guardianship with a thorough beating. Kagome would be heartbroken.

"There will be no performance tonight."

Inuyasha was so caught up in his guilt over the half-demon man's state that he nearly missed what had been said. When the words finally processed, he found himself frozen and not daring to believe his own ears. "W-what?! Are you serious?"

"The Gods are requesting the assistance of all available workers in rebuilding the stage this morning." Izumo's voice was without tone or inflection, and behind the bruises, his expression seemed more lifeless than ever as he continued "Both you and your wife are required to assist, as the other monsters will also be involved in the rebuilding."

And without another word he turned away, never giving Inuyasha so much as an accusing frown. Could it be that he didn't mind getting beaten for their cause? Or perhaps… had the remaining performers done something to him? Did he even remember why he'd been so brutalized? Inuyasha shook the thoughts from his head, and hurried back into the tent. He'd worry about all that later, but right now, he needed to wake Kagome and tell her the news. Finally, they'd found a spot of luck in the Lucky God's circus.

* * *

"C'mon, move it Inugami! Less slacking, more hammering! And you! Ogre! Pick up the pace." Jakotsu's terse commands rang out over the hustling buzz of the stage area, the workers following his orders in varying levels of compliance. Inuyasha bit his lip to keep from snapping back; he'd been hard at work since they arrived that morning, pushing his body to its limits to get as much done as he could. He didn't need the circus-monkey on his back to get him to work.

"Woman! Put some back into it! I don't want to see a single speck of blood on these floors, do you hear me?" Inuyasha looked in the direction of Jakotsu's crowing voice to see Kagome kneeling on the stage, a soaked rag in her hand and a bucket of murky water beside her as she washed away evidence of the dead and injured wolves. She was dutifully keeping her mouth shut at the harsh commands, but Inuyasha could see the pinch between her brows, and he growled. If that freak didn't lay off Kagome, there would be even more blood on the stage, and Kagome wouldn't clean a drop of it.

Snapping his head back to his hammering, Inuyasha glared at the beam he was securing back in place, and wondered how much longer they'd be needed here. The noonday sun was high overhead, but there was still time before it would begin to set. Still… the sooner they could get away and avoid any suspicion, the better. His yellow eyes wandered again, singling out the small half-demons assisting Kagome in scrubbing the wooden boards – they would have to stage it so none of them were blamed. The last thing he wanted were more Izumos.

The bull-half-demon worked across the stage, silently hammering away without concern in the presence of his abusers. Inuyasha was sure he'd been bewitched or brainwashed or _something_ as he slaved tirelessly at his rebuilding. It was unnerving to see his mottled complexion, to look over at the dried blood and swollen eye, and to know that the men surrounding him had been the cause. Kagome kept her back to Izumo as much as she could, as her misty eyes at the sight of him were difficult to hide.

"Fifteen minute break for food, and then back at it! We want this stage finished tonight!"

Chucking his hammer to the packed dirt, Inuyasha headed at once for Kagome's side. He watched as she took Ai by the hand, lifting the little girl onto trembling legs and slowly guiding her off the stage. Even as she did, her eyes scanned the rest of the platform, intently watching the other half-demons, making sure each would follow. Shiori padded after them in silence, arms useless at her side as her orb had been left in her cage, and Jinenji lumbered to the front of the small group, clearing debris from their path. Kagome paused as Shion remained kneeling on the wood. "Inuyasha" she called out as she caught his eye; his ears perked at the undercurrent of fear lacing the sound, "can you help Shion?" She didn't need to ask twice.

The ram-horned boy was unresponsive as Inuyasha knelt beside him, making no move to get up or follow the others. Inuyasha didn't speak as he took stock of the boy's condition, and the stench of infected flesh reached his sensitive nose. Shion's modified feet were inflamed, the skin swollen and yellowing, and Inuyasha grimaced. No wonder the boy wouldn't stand. At once his arms came around the small half-demon and lifted him off the floor and his injured feet. Kagome was waiting anxiously at the bottom of the stage steps for them, and her eyes went wide as Inuyasha relayed the situation.

"But… but I've been tending to him!" She said adamantly, "I've been treating his feet! How are they still infected?" Inuyasha watched her heart break as she brushed the hair from Shion's forehead, the boy's eyes as blank and emotionless as always; his own heart broke with her.

"It's infected from the inside. The scent is pretty deep. Unless you can get him some medicine, there's not much else we can do." Setting Shion on the ground beside the other half-demons, he started towards the line of workers handing out bowls of stew.

"Then I'll get some."

He paused and glanced over his shoulder to see Kagome's determined scowl. "If he needs medicine, we'll get him medicine." Her fists were balled at her side, and Inuyasha sighed resignedly as he turned back to dissuade her. The gods would never let her go, they'd surely be suspicious, they'd – wait. Her expression had changed: she was looking at him expectantly, as if trying to send a message without words. Inuyasha struggled to receive it, until it hit him – she had the perfect excuse to get away now. Izumo was busy with reconstructing the stage, and wouldn't be able to make a run to the town for anything, let alone medicine. Jakotsu would probably push her through the gate himself.

A subtle nod was the only sign he gave her, but her lip curled up into a tiny smile regardless. "I'll speak to the gods for you" he said quietly, before turning back to get them a meal. Once she was outside the circus, it would be easier for him to slip away unnoticed. He only hoped the gods wouldn't go searching for them later.

* * *

Kagome grimaced as the ripe stench of fish permeated her nose to settle on her tongue as she wandered the shop-lined main street. The remaining catches from the morning's fishing trips hung like deadly omens from the eaves of food stalls; Kagome hoped ignoring their presence would keep her from getting cursed. She couldn't afford any trouble now – she knew Shion would be alright without her care until tomorrow, but at the moment… she was lost. A bundle of medicinal herbs and packets of powder rested safely in the folds of Kagome's striped green kimono, though she herself felt anything but safe. There were so many people, half of them foreigners, and all of them older than her by far. It was strange to be dressed in school clothes in such a savvy, adult setting. Of course, _she_ was considered an adult now, wasn't she? She'd finished her required schooling – she was ready to take the next step in life. As far as anyone here was concerned, she already had.

Her thoughts turned to her 'husband', and worry set in. The sun was almost gone behind the sea mountains; the change would happen any second, and he still hadn't found her. He'd assured her that staying in town till sundown was her best option, that he'd catch up once he managed to get away, but she'd had doubts at the time, and they had yet to dissipate. Without his nose and dog-ears to guide him, it could take hours before he tracked her down. 'He'll already be feeling weak' she thought anxiously; 'It's hard enough to hear over crowds without having to adjust to a new set of ears.' Weaving between the noisy shoppers and drunken townsfolk, it was difficult for Kagome to keep from being drawn into the hustle and bustle of the evening. Shops full of foreign treasures and expensive gifts drew her eye at every turn, and thoughts of Inuyasha soon became lost in the tumult.

There weren't many store fronts like ones she'd seen in Tokyo, with tall glass windows set in brick buildings, their displays filled to bursting with gaudy displays of splendor. Here, the goods sat just beyond the red awnings, beckoning passersby to step forward for a closer look. Brightly dyed spools of threads and fabric with intricate patterns lined the walls of a few shops, with pre-sewn kimonos arranged on dress-forms out front. Some of the kimonos had been westernized, no doubt hoping to appeal to the sea-visitors with their oversized obis and lace trims. Kagome found herself pausing in her trek to admire a few, waving away shopkeepers who tried to sell her on rolls and spools.

A small stand caught her eye more than the rest, its wares glittering in the glowing streetlamps that were springing to life around her. Small tables draped in clean cloth provided the backdrop to a collection of bowls and cases that at once were very familiar to Kagome. She'd seen bowls like this in her mother's room before, on her vanity dresser with a small dish for water and a clean brush set beside it. Kagome could remember holidays as a young girl where her mother would sit her down in the chair at that table and carefully dab water into the bowl. She would watch, fascinated, as the shimmering green coating inside of the basin turned the most vibrant of reds, the liquid seeping like ink into the bristles, and then she would sit very still as her mother brushed the magical substance over her lips. She remembered her mother saying she'd buy her a bowl of her own as a gift for finishing school. They hadn't been able to take that trip to town, as fate had once again intervened.

Noticing her fixation on the lip rouge, the old man behind the counter rose from his stool and regarded her with twinkling eyes. "Young woman," he began in a rasping voice, "you seem to have good taste. This here is the finest Beni you'll find anywhere, made of the most vibrant Safflower petals, straight from Yamagata!" His watery eyes crinkled and he raised a hand to whisper behind it "You won't find anything so red from the foreigners – they wouldn't know color if it came up and bit them!"

Kagome smiled, but kept her thoughts to herself. Of course things from other lands were going to be different, that's why they were here – to share and to learn. But even Kagome had noticed the men and women from the west tended to dress a little… drab. Turning back to the display of lip tints, she gently picked up one of the bowls and turned it around in her hands, watching the iridescent shades of green glimmer in the flickering light of the lamps.

"I have sets for those, if you'd like" the old man said earnestly, "with the brush and dish and everything! I could give you a good price!"

At that her smile fell, and ever so gently she set the bowl back down. "Thank you, but… I really couldn't right now."

"Nonsense!" The old man sputtered, "A lovely girl like you would be radiant with some Beni to her face! You'd look a real high class lady to all the young men!"

"Now that's something I really don't need" she laughed. At a look from the old shopkeeper she explained "I'm already married", at which his face seemed to shed almost twenty years of wrinkles.

"Excellent! What a good young girl you are! A fine example of youth! Now don't be stubborn, I insist you buy something to dress yourself up – give your husband a nice surprise, eh?"

Kagome was already blushing down to her feet by the time he mentioned her husband, and through her flustered state she managed to squeak out "N-no! That's alright. I mean, I'd love to, but… we're travelling right now, and… I can't carry a set around. Too big." She bit her lip and hoped he'd let the issue rest. The truth was, she wanted the lip paint. It brought back memories of her mother, memories of a simpler time, and the thought of painting her lips in the mornings made her feel like the mature adult woman she'd been pretending to be.

The old man thought for a moment, his weathered hand scratching at the gray whiskers peppering his chin, until a smile crept up at the corners of his mouth. "Young miss, I believe I've got just the thing."

Reaching beneath the table, he pulled out a small wooden box and set it between them. Unstopping the lid, he let Kagome peer inside to see a small stack of sticks that looked almost like foreign cigars, wrapped in thick pressed paper sleeves. "These," he said, pulling one of the small sticks out of the box, "are Beni crayons. They're a new product I've been meaning to test." He handed one over to Kagome and watched avidly as she handled it.

"It's heavier than it looks" she commented, tracing her finger over the rough grain of the paper. "What exactly are they?"

"Beni crayons!" he said again, and Kagome gave him wide, questioning eyes. Finally realizing she'd missed the concept, the shopkeeper explained in an excited rush "I mixed the base for the lip paint with wax and honey, and shaped it into a stick! You just rub away at it a little, then rub some on your lips with a finger. No need for brushes, or even water! It's always ready to use. And you could carry it with you in your kimono or a small satchel, if you wanted!" His small black eyes were shining, looking younger most likely than he had in years. One look at that face, and Kagome knew it was a lost battle.

A sigh passed her smiling lips as she twirled the wrapped crayon in her fingers. "How much?"

"For you miss?" he responded with shining eyes, "Twenty Sen. I charge the foreigners a whole yen for this sort of thing, but I can afford to part with this for less. I remember what it was like to be young and married. Not a coin between you I wager!" Wrinkles obscured his eyes as he laughed boisterously, the noise losing itself in the crowd beyond the stall. "Besides, I can see you're quite taken with it." The lines around his eyes only deepened in his knowing smile, and Kagome couldn't help smiling back at the look.

"That's very nice of you, but I can't let you do that. This is worth much more I'm sure." Even as she spoke, she turned the paper-wrapped crayon over in her fingers, gently brushing the rough grain and wondering how richly red the pigment of the Beni inside would be.

"Bah, these are only experiments! I've hardly had a chance to test them out." He watched her a moment more as she continued to look longingly at the lip tints, and said quietly "I tell you what young miss, I'd very much like to give these crayons a trial run. If you promise to try it on and come back to show me how it looks, I'll give it to you for ten Sen."

"You're a horrible bargainer" she said grinning. The old man chuckled, shaking his head as he responded "Never could think straight around a pretty face." Her fingers tightened around the stick, and eyes sparkling, she relented. "I guess I'd better just say yes, before you end up giving this away for nothing!" Fishing through her satchel for the needed copper coins, she gave them to the smiling man with a renewed promise to return and show him the result of her purchase.

"Bring your husband along as well when you return" he shouted to her as she departed, leaning over the table of his booth. She nodded and waived, smiling at the weight of the lip rouge in her hand before the sight of the vendor was lost to the crowd. When she returned, she'd be sure to pay for the Beni Crayon in full.

In her distracted state, she almost missed the soft sound of meowing. The sound was nearly at her feet before the sound of a cat registered in her mind, and she had barely begun to recognize the sound when a flash of black and cream caught her peripheral. Craning her neck, Kagome peered through the sea of smart boots and thonged sandals before her eyes landed on vibrant red eyes watching her from a furry face.

"Kirara!" Kagome forgot to even say 'excuse me' as he pushed her way through the crowd to reach the demon cat. Kirara meowed in greeting as she finally reached her, but didn't wait around for a pat on the head. As soon as Kagome was before her, the little cat turned and scampered off into the market street once more, leaving a confused Kagome in her wake. It wasn't until Kirara turned bright red eyes over a fluffy shoulder to glance back at the stunned girl that she caught the hint – she was supposed to follow. Quickly stowing her newly bought Beni in her money satchel, Kagome hurried after the cat without another thought.

* * *

Kagura shuffled quietly through the empty circus stalls. The lot seemed to be closed for the night, all the workers returned to their tents once the sun had fallen and the stars had shone. Her eyes swept the food vendors stalls with no hidden criticism – she'd been around a circus long enough to recognize quality from laziness. The workmanship of this place was nothing but shoddy.

Her aura twinged at the feeling of another close by, and her attention was drawn further into the compound, where a familiar demon was waiting. She hadn't known what it was that had called to her back at Sesshomaru's mansion, just that the pull of it was strong. So strong she'd left the safety of his barrier and flown all the way to Yokohama to find the source. Of course she should have known it would only be-

"Kanna." The small girl in white stepped into her path, the mirror in her hands turned away, showing its polished silver design to the wind demon. She showed no emotion, but Kagura knew well how to read that face. They were both demons of elements, of things intangible, and she felt a sort of sisterhood with this girl of the void. And Naraku had controlled Kanna as well, giving her strength while at the same time enslaving her service. The only difference was that Kanna never really seemed to notice… or care.

"So… how've you been?" Her fan rested leisurely against her shoulder, head cocking and a half-smile on her lips as she locked her red gaze with white eyes. Kanna did not respond in kind – Kagura had not expected her to.

"The Seven Performers have returned to Japan. They felt Naraku's death."

"Hmm, I figured they would. Took them long enough to get here." Kagura stepped forward, Kanna's unblinking eyes watching without alarm as the demon woman pointed her folded fan at the girl. "Have you been with them all this time, Kanna?" A nod was the only response, and Kagura tapped her chin with the fan in thought. "I don't suppose you're going to tell me what your role in this is?"

Kanna's blank eyes stared up at her, and for a moment Kagura was stunned as she found an answer in them. "You don't know why?" Slowly, the white-haired head moved side to side. "Damn… and here I thought this would be easy."

"I'm to do as they bid" Kanna said softly, "and stay with them at all times."

"And are you to protect them?" There was a beat of silence as the girl mulled over Kagura's question, as though she were waiting for a response herself, before finally shaking her head in a slow back and forth. Kagura smirked. Things were looking up once more.

"Well, that's settled. Come Kanna, we've got some experimenting to do." Her red eyes glanced up at the night sky, darkened with the absent moon as the stars struggled to light the world beneath them. She fought back a laugh, remembering how she'd caught the half-demon jumping over the back wall just as the sun disappeared. Yes, this was the perfect time to enact her plan. Perhaps she'd enlist the help of the halfbreed and his human at some point, but for now she couldn't risk their interference. There was something she had to find out for herself first.

* * *

"I-Inuyasha!"

Upon reaching the small house buried deep in the Yokohama streets, Kagome had expected the welcome sight of Miroku and Sango as they came to the door to greet her. She even took the sight of an old, rotund man sporting a bushy mustache and reeking of sake in stride, realizing it was likely he who owned the house. What she couldn't grasp was the sight of her very human Inuyasha sitting against the wall as if he'd always been there, and scowling up a storm. Rushing to his side, she discreetly checked him for any signs of injury – she had no idea whether he'd had trouble getting out of the circus or not, and in wake of his apparent attitude, was afraid to ask.

"What took you so long?" he groused, setting his violet eyes on her and catching her off guard. Somehow she always forgot just what shade they were in the month between transformations. Looking into those eyes was a new experience almost every time. He continued to stare at her though, and with a start she realized he'd asked her a question.

"Well it's not like I have a pocket-watch" she answered calmly, taking up her spot beside him and smoothing the pleats on her hakama. Sango came to sit close by as Miroku rushed off to another room with a few quick words to the old man. Kagome caught something about 'dinner', and could feel her stomach growling at the mere thought. She hadn't eaten since their lunch at the circus! She was glad for Inuyasha's poor hearing, as he surely would have thrown a fit over her poor care of herself. Best to keep him distracted. "When did you get here?"

"Oh he hasn't been here long" Sango said quickly, smiling a little too wide as Inuyasha shot her a glare. "Don't let him guilt you – we were worried about him getting away too, once we realized what night it was. So we sent Kirara out to find him. She was practically dragging him by the pant-leg when they got here!" The girls hid their laughter in their sleeves as Inuyasha sank into grumbling, but Sango managed to continue "After that, Kirara took off to find you. He's been sitting here sulking ever since."

"I was not! I just knew she'd probably get lost out there, and I wanted to go find her myself!" His dark eyes blazed behind black bangs, but despite his firm words, Sango brushed him off with a roll of her eyes. "As if you know this city any more than she does! Honestly, what good would you be to anyone getting lost?" Inuyasha mumbled something under his breath, but didn't dare say it to Sango's face. From their time at the Higurashi Shrine, he knew better than to engage her in a fight. She'd have no pity on his human state right now. Settling back against the wall, he crossed his arms and stared in determination at a far rice-paper door.

Sango only shook her head in amusement as she rose and followed after Miroku with the remark that she'd get them something to eat. As soon as she'd left the room, Kagome placed a gentle hand against Inuyasha's happi coat. "Sorry to make you worry." He turned slightly to meet her eye, his posture still stiff but his scowl softening. Taking a deep breath, Kagome continued "I was pretty worried myself. I didn't know how you were planning to get out."

Inuyasha let out a breath that had his body sagging in weariness. "Aw damn, there weren't any way to make it out that wasn't risky. After you didn't return right away with the medicine, those clowns started gettin' mad. So I asked if I could go get you, y'know? Perfect excuse!" Blunt fingernails dug into thick black hair as Inuyasha scratched sheepishly at the back of his head. "Didn't work though. They wanted me to stay and work even longer as punishment just for asking." Kagome gripped his arm, eyes wide as she asked quietly "So what did you do?"

"Snuck out the back o'course!" He shrugged, picking at the hem of his coat as he continued "Not like they were gonna listen to anything I had to say, so the next break we took, I took off. Good thing too, because I didn't count on the change happenin' so fast."

Kagome could read the problem hiding between his words, and her stomach clenched nervously. "Inuyasha… you did get out before you turned human, didn't you? You weren't seen?"

He shuffled awkwardly, but still managed to look offended somehow. "Course I wasn't! You think I'm that sloppy?" There was still something he wasn't telling her though, and Kagome was determined to find it out. "So… when exactly did it happen? I mean, how far away were you?" Inuyasha's lips pursed, his eyes glancing from hers to the floor, never daring to linger long, and his face turned an interesting shade of red against the black of his hair.

"I, uh… I was just crossing the wall."

Kagome waited impatiently for more, but he didn't offer. "What do you mean 'just crossing'? How far were you, Inuyasha?"

His gaze stayed on the ground this time. "It was… it happened… right as I jumped. I kinda botched my landing 'cause my human legs couldn't take… I mean I wasn't ready for it." She was already running hands over his shins, inspecting them for bruises or signs of blood. He turned scarlet and shied away from her touch, sputtering. "Wh-What're y'doin'?!"

"No wonder Kirara was dragging you here, you were probably in pain and moving slow after a fall like that!" Her wandering hands went to grab one of his feet, noting how the dirt and calluses made it difficult to find any unusual scrapes.

"Dammit, I'm fine!" His protests were undermined by the fact that he had yet to pull his foot away from her gentle fingers; he'd never admit to it, but the gentle massage as she checked his bare feet for injury felt… nice. He tended to put them through a lot of abuse. As soon as she released him, he debated asking her to continue, and nearly bit his tongue for even thinking such a thing in the first place. It wasn't like she was really his wife – he couldn't ask something so personal of her, so intimate.

In his embarrassment, his eyes drifted up to meet with hers, already watching him and shining with her smile. His breath caught a little. It was so hard to hide how much she affected him when his human blood took over. It was hard to _want_ to hide it.

Inuyasha was just debating leaning in for a quick peck at her lips when their hosts made their re-entrance, bearing trays of food and making a clamor that had Inuyasha scowling all over again.

Their late meal was spent catching Miroku and Sango up on the events of the previous nights; of course they'd heard the circus would be closed, and everyone in town had heard word of the wolves' attack the evening before. Of course it was painted as a vicious attack on the innocent performers, but it was for the best. And from what they could gather from their friends, it seemed no one had heard yet of Kyoukotsu's death. Inuyasha wondered whether the remaining gods would attempt to cover it up. It wouldn't look very good to have one of the Shichifukujin killed by a mere wolf, now would it?

"But I can't believe the wolf demons were working with you!" Sango exclaimed, fingers gripping her tea, "I mean, wolves aren't exactly known for kindness. I would've been worried they'd turn on me every second!"

"Yeah, well…" Kagome fidgeted in her seat, wondering how best to explain without reopening old wounds, and doing her best not to look at the man beside her. "They sorta took a liking to me I guess. And it was only a temporary truce, after all." She could feel the tension rolling off of Inuyasha in waves, and saw Sango glancing suspiciously between the two of them. Thinking quick, she added "Besides, I knew Inuyasha wouldn't let them get away with anything," at which the anger subsided, and the half-human huffed in indifference.

"It was a lucky break for you two, I must say" Miroku spoke up calmly, wisely choosing to ignore the subject that had awkward emotions bubbling around his friends. "The perfect opportunity to get away. But what will you say when you get back?"

No one spoke. Mushin took another swig of Sake, noisily wiping his mouth on an already damp sleeve. Kagome no longer felt very hungry.

"I guess… we…."

"We won't say anything." Inuyashsa answered abruptly, arms folding defensively and eyes stern. "We'll get back early enough that they'll never know we've gone." It sounded like a good idea on the surface, but right away Kagome could see the cracks, and it seemed Miroku could as well.

"But what about Kagome? They never saw her come back from her afternoon trip to the market – that's sure to raise questions. And what if they went looking for you in the evening, wanting to train more or something of that sort?" Miroku's blue eyes pierced through both Inuyasha and Kagome as he said "you need an alibi, whether you use it or not."

"… Well," Kagome spoke up cautiously, "we could say we got lost in town. I mean, it wouldn't be that far from the truth."

"No good." Miroku snipped almost at once. "They'll take you to task on why you didn't just ask for directions back. Everyone here knows where the circus is." Tapping his chin thoughtfully, he looked away mumbling "No, it's got to be something more deliberate."

"Could always say we were sick of seein' their ugly faces" Inuyasha grumbled. "Because that's the damn truth."

"Yes, clever idea Inuyasha." The monk's dry tone instantly had the half-demon scowling. "Insult them and let them know you _want_ to get away. That won't raise _any_ warning bells."

"Well if you know so much, why the hell don't you suggest something!"

The words had barely left Inuyasha's throat before Miroku was already smirking – an unpleasant, leacherous smirk. "Think about it, won't you? You two are supposedly married, you get caught up in the Yokohama night life, probably have a few drinks…" his words trailed off expectantly, eyebrows raising into his hairline as he leaned forward, awaiting their response. Inuyasha and Kagome only looked at each other, perplexed.

"So… we get drunk off our asses?" Inuyasha cocked a disbelieving eyebrow. "Like him?" He pointed rudely at Mushing who was slumped against the wall, having long ago stopped caring about the conversation. "Is that really your grand scheme, Miroku?!"

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Miroku took a deep breath before continuing in a tight voice "No, listen." Opening his eyes to the two young people sitting across him on the tatami mats, Miroku started slowly "Alright, here's what you tell them: you met up in town, had a few drinks, got a little tipsy, and instead of going back to the circus, decided to stay at an inn for the night. … Get it?"

Evidently Inuyasha did not. He hadn't noticed that Sango was oddly silent beside the former monk, or that Kagome was turning slightly pink next to him. "Why would we pay for a room when we stay at the circus for free? They're never gonna believe that."

Groaning loudly, Miroku dropped his head into his hand muttering "I can't believe you're not getting this." Sango tried to cover her laughter under a cough, but the smile was unmistakable. Inuyasha looked from each face in the group, desperately searching for clues as to what he had apparently missed. "Inuyasha, my dear friend," Miroku began once again, his lips pursing as though he'd eaten something sour, "You are _married_. You rented a room in town for _privacy_. To _be with your wife_. I'm not going to draw you pictures."

Understanding dawned on the black-haired half-demon's face, as did a plume of scarlet. "B-but… but we're not actually! I mean, we haven't – We're not _really_ married!" He was helplessly embarrassed and Kagome's close proximity beside him nearly burned. Just what kind of plan was this?!

Miroku laughed heartily, glad to have finally gotten his meaning across. "I know, and that's why it's just an alibi. You don't actually have to do it – you're not really renting the room after all, you're staying here! But it'll give you something to tell them when you get back. They can't deny a man wanting time with his wife, now can they?"

"You haven't met 'em" he groused, but… even he had to admit, the plan had merit. "But who's to say they'll believe us?"

"Figure out a way to make it believable!" Miroku's eyes widened as Inuyasha actually growled at him for that one, but then he noticed that even Kagome looked doubtful. Sharing a look with Sango but getting no more support than a shrug of the shoulders, the young monk sighed heavily. "Must I teach you everything? Alright, we won't risk actually getting either of you drunk - no telling what that might do." Both Inuyasha and Kagome looked relieved, though the black-haired man still seemed offended by the remark somehow. "We'll just make sure you smell like sake when you leave. Now, as for the inn…" he watched with a grin as Kagome and Inuyasha shifted nervously, "We just need a little bit of proof they can see. Something unmistakable, but which shouldn't be too uncomfortable for either of you – I hope."

"Just what the hell are you talking about, Miroku?!"

"I'm talking, my naïve friend, about this." Reaching up to the collar of his black robe, Miroku pulled the fabric aside. The girls in the room gasped. Inuyasha raised a confused eyebrow. A few small, round bruises dotted the man's lower neck and collar, scattered in an uneven pattern. He looked as though he'd been pelted by precisely thrown pebbles. "What the hell happened to –"

"Miroku, I can't believe you!" Sango's shrill voice sent Kagome into a panic – she could only imagine how the monk had gotten such marks, and she knew how her friend would take the idea of him fooling around with another girl. Only… Sango didn't look angry. She was blushing from head to toe and trying desperately to cover the small bruises up again. "Don't go showing those around like that!"

"Sango!" The girl in question turned terrified eyes to Kagome, the answer written in her red cheeks. "Where… exactly did he get those?"

"Come now Kagome" Miroku responded cheerily, evading Sango's swatting hands, "don't tell me you can't recognize your friend's handiwork! Sango worked hard at these!" His eyes sparkled in merriment as the woman beside him squealed indignantly and nearly tackled him to the floormats, eventually succeeding in pulling the robe back into place.

"I-It's not what it looks like!" Sango sputtered anxiously, her hands twisting in Kirara's fur. The tiny cat was beginning to complain at the treatment, and managed to squirm her way to freedom before Sango removed handfuls of hair.

"Excuse me, dear Sango, but it's exactly what it looks like. You can't have forgotten already." Miroku pushed back, his posture tall and proud as he rubbed tenderly at the marks beneath his robes. Kagome hardly dared to believe that it had really been Sango who had placed them there, but the look passing between her two friends was unmistakable – _something_ between them had changed. She just wished she knew when!

Amidst the excitement, no one seemed to notice the black-haired man in the red coat against the wall, watching each interaction with growing confusion and consternation. They'd practically forgotten Inuyasha was there at all until in an angry manner he shouted "Oi! Is someone gonna explain what those marks are or what? And what the hell's Sango got to do with it?" He was set with so many blank stares that Inuyasha was beginning to think there must be something wrong with his face. "W-what? Did she beat you up or something?" His attention focused on Miroku, who gave him an indulgent smile and sighed with all the patience of a parent explaining life to a small child.

"I assume then that you haven't done this with your lovely wife yet?" Inuyasha couldn't even think to respond. Done what exactly? No one was making any sense!

"It's a hickey."

Kagome's sudden voice made him jump, but as he turned to meet her eyes, calmness instantly followed. Of course Kagome would explain it to him. She always had his back. Turning slightly to face her, Inuyasha gave her his undivided attention, noting how she seemed to get flustered under his gaze. He smiled a little – she was cute when she got all bashful, though for the life of him he couldn't understand what was causing it. He soon found out.

"It's, uh… well, it's a bruise I guess, but you get it, um… you get it from kissing." Her eyes flickered from his to her hands and back. He blinked once, slowly. "H-huh?" "You know!" Kagome continued, her voice rising in pitch, "When you're… when you're _really_ kissing, and you kiss someone's neck like that, it… it leaves a mark."

He… sort of understood. He was starting to anyways. He had about a million more questions, but Kagome looked uncomfortable enough as it was. An ugly feeling settled in his stomach as one question in particular made its way to the forefront of his mind – just how did she know about these 'hickey' things to begin with? He wanted desperately to find out, but after their experience with Kouga, he knew better than to bring it up in company. He'd wait till he got her alone, and then he wanted the truth, no matter how much it hurt.

"So uh…" tearing his eyes away from his 'wife', Inuyasha faced a smirking Miroku and continued "So these 'kiss marks' will prove we spent the night together?"

"As much as anything else!" He replied, shifting to his knees to gather the empty dinner trays before rising to take them away to the kitchen. Before his foot could cross the threshold, he turned once more to the blushing couple and said airily "It's your choice, but like I said: better to have an alibi than trust to your luck." Sango's eyes followed him as he left, before snapping to their guests with bright fervor. Her voice was low as she leaned forward and said "I know this all sounds like some silly idea his lecherous brain cooked up, but really think about it! It might just get you out of trouble! It's just some kissing, and… besides," her eyes fell to the side and she bit her lip before continuing in a whisper "it… actually does feel kinda nice."

Kagome smothered a giggle into her sleeve; Inuyasha was starting to look a little green. This was more than he'd ever wanted to know about his friends' private lives. They could do whatever they wanted when he wasn't around – he just didn't want to hear a word about it.

But… as for him and Kagome….

* * *

Kagura didn't know how Ginkotsu had seen her coming, but she had a real fight on her hands. Her wind blades were almost no match to the god's metal body, scraping noisily against the steel and leaving nothing but annoying gashes. He never looked weakened, never acted injured. He never even bled. The few times she managed to get past his defenses and nick his human skin, his metal teeth would gnash and he'd barrel forward after her, the locomotive attached to his form billowing steam but the skin never so much as turning red.

Gunshots fired past her ear, and Kagura scowled. She didn't have time for this. Soon the other performers would reach them, having already heard the noise of the fight, and she really didn't feel up to taking on their whole troupe at once. One was all she needed to test her theory. Waiting for the right opening, Kagura sent a volley of wind blades at the metal monster, successfully lopping off one of his arms. He chuckled at her, unfazed, and rolled closer.

Leaping nimbly away from his path she observed the dismembered stump – sure enough, there was no blood. The flesh didn't even look fresh. She had been suspecting as much. Ginkotsu turned his cumbersome body awkwardly to follow her quick movements, but he wasn't quick enough. In one decisive movement, a single blade of demonic wind hurtled through the air and sliced through the circus god's throat. His head fell in a heap before the body which continued to rumble onwards, the metal smile ringing sharply as it rattled against the wheels bumping it along the ground like a child's ball.

Ignoring the state of the already decaying body, Kagura watched as a white orb of light flew up from the severed throat and hovered listlessly in the air. It didn't stay there long before choosing its course and streaking across the darkness to vanish into the depths of Kanna's mirror. The small girl made no notice of it, and as soon as it had vanished, she too turned and silently slipped back into the night.

Kagura watched her fellow demon go with a smile – she'd found out all she needed, and now Kanna would be gone before their audience arrived, allowing her to keep doing her secret job until all the pieces were in place. The wind demon felt the change in the wind as the performers approached long before she could hear their racket. She stayed where she was, entirely nonchalant as Ginkotsu's decapitated body finally came to a billowing stop, and the five remaining gods skidded to a halt around her and the wreckage.

"Wha-what the Hell's going on here?!" Renkotsu roared, hands already reaching for a canon he'd strapped to his back. "Who are you, witch?"

Kagura watched each of the men cautiously readying the weapons they'd brought; she hid a smile behind her fan. "Hmm, upset that I broke your machine? I'd forego the repairs if I were you." She tapped the dormant machine with a bare foot, and it creaked and rattled in response. Renkotsu stalked towards her with murderous intent, and she smiled wider.

"Stop right there."

Swiveling back to face a stony Bankotsu, Renkotsu sputtered indignantly. "Brother, you can't just – she's murdered Ginkotsu! I demand revenge." He turned and started toward the woman again, but once more Bankotsu's voice broke the night silence.

"She's a demon, Renkotsu. We don't need to lose another man – we're already down enough as it is." The older man only huffed, responding sharply "That wolf was a demon too, and we ran him off. These demons are all the same: cowards who hide behind their magic tricks."

"I'd watch what you say around her" Bankotsu murmured, his carefree guise dropping under the weight of caution. "Can't you feel it? Don't you recognize that aura?"

The fire-wielding performer finally stopped, curiosity warring with his need for vengeance. He looked over the smiling woman once more with calculating eyes, and his body stiffened as a new sense came over him. Kagura nearly laughed as she watched each of the remaining men put the last piece of the puzzle in place.

"So, you really can still feel him, can you?" Snapping her fan shut, she gave each of them an appraising look. They were all human at their core, but in each man there was a drop of something else – something demon. It was easy to recognize, as she'd carried the same power herself once. "You've been running from Naraku for a long time now. I'm surprised you even dared coming back to Japan."

"You some kind of messenger from him?" Bankotsu's eyes were hard as steel, hands clenching and unclenching as if preparing to fight. Kagura smirked. "And what need has a dead man of a messenger? You sensed that as well as I did." Posture relaxing only slightly, the young man mirrored the wind-demon's expression and responded in a cocky tone "Assumed as much. We all agreed this increase in power must have been him dying, and that's why we came back. And so" he took a menacing step toward the demon, "knowing we're all using his power, and you're outnumbered, you wanna take on the rest of the seven gods?"

Clicking her tongue, Kagura reached for the feather in her hair. "Don't sound so sure of yourselves. It's only intermission." A gust of wind filled the clearing, and the performers shielded their eyes against the biting gale. By the time it subsided, the woman was gone. Swearing under his breath, Bankotsu turned to the company and barked "Suikotsu, Renkotsu! Get these remains out of here. Detach Ginkotsu and rework the mechanics so we can run it ourselves. Find some use for it. Jakotsu!" Flicking his blade back into a white serpent, Jakotsu faced the younger man expectantly. "Go get the Inugami, and have him track that woman. We can't afford to have her wandering around. I don't care if he's asleep or if you have to drag his little wife off him, just get that dog sniffing for demons!"

Jakotsu's painted lips turned up at the corners, only too pleased with his task. "Aye aye, captain! I'll drag him here naked if I have to!"

"Whatever it takes, Jakotsu" Bankotsu called back with a grin, as the god of beauty raced off through the tents. His long legs brought him to the borrowed tent in no time, and he snickered to think of all the ways he could surprise the halfbreed. He hoped the woman put up a fight – he'd love an excuse to wrap her in his blade! Not that he didn't want to see the Inugami wrapped in it as well; he did look so delectable covered in blood….

Pushing aside the front flap of the tent, Jakotsu announced in his loudest and most obnoxious tone "Rise and shine Inugami" – the words caught in his throat, his tongue shriveling and threatening to choke him. The Inugami and his annoying little woman were nowhere to be seen.

* * *

"So… a hickey."

Kagome shifted slightly on her folded knees, hands bunched in her green hakama and sweating. Her eyes darted every so often from her fists to the black-haired man crouched in front of her in the otherwise empty room they'd been given for the night, but as he was also staring at her, she never looked at him for long.

"Yeah, umm… we could… just kiss first. See how we feel after that." Mortified by her own words, Kagome ducked her face, trying to bury her red cheeks in her striped kimono to no avail. Gods, this didn't need to be so awkward! How many times had they kissed – _really_ kissed – and never stopped to think about it? Perhaps that was the problem though: they were _thinking_ about it. And knowing Inuyasha, he was thinking way too hard.

Daring the embarrassment, Kagome forced her chin up to meet his burning violet gaze and held it. He looked startled at her bold gesture, but didn't back down. It didn't seem as though he'd make the next move either, and swallowing hard, Kagome took the initiative. Shuffling forward on the tatami mats, Kagome closed some distance between them, putting him within reaching distance. He was much closer now – she could see the rise and fall of his chest, the way his eyes darted back and forth as they looked into hers, occasionally dropping to glance at her mouth… occasionally dropping lower to her neck. She was sure her flush was all the way to her chest by now.

"Hey" she started in a shaky whisper, reaching out to cover one of his folded hands, clenched hard against the mats as he sat like a dog, "it's no big deal." If only she could get her nerves to agree….

"Yeah sure, maybe not for someone like you," he responded, his voice cracking slightly as his eyes fell to where her hand covered his, "but I ain't never kissed anyone but you, and I sure as hell never, I mean… dammit, I didn't even know what a hickey-thing was before tonight."

Kagome almost smiled, her heart warming at his admission, at this vulnerable side he was revealing to her… until she realized what he was implying, and those warm feelings turned to flickering tongues of angry flame. "Excuse me, but just how 'experienced' do you think I am?!"

Fear flickered through his dark eyes, and she felt his fingers flinch under her tightening grip. "Uhh…" he replied smartly, gaze darting around the room as if looking for an escape, "I just… figured since you know about this stuff…." He trailed off, unable to continue or untrusting of himself to come up with a good enough save.

"Yeah Inuyasha, I know 'about stuff', that doesn't mean I've 'done' it!" She glowered at him, both hands now covering his as she leaned in close, bottom lip jutting out in her frown. Inuyasha leaned away as much as he could with her holding his hands in place, his eyes wide and jaw clenched, not daring to say a word. Black wisps fell around her face, turned red for a whole new reason, and Inuyasha stopped moving away as the fiery shine to her eyes began to take on a different meaning in his eyes.

Kagome didn't realize just how close they'd gotten until he was leaning forward. By the time his lips pressed to hers, pushing her back into her space over the mats, she forgot what she'd been shouting about in the first place. Her eyes slid shut, her hands slipping up his arms to grasp his shoulders as he tilted his head slightly to kiss her just a little harder. Inuyasha dropped from his crouch onto his knees, and Kagome didn't notice their new proximity until he'd gathered her up in his arms and pressed her to his chest. She sighed, wrapping her arms around his neck, and he took that as his queue to part his lips against hers.

Warm, plush lips, tentative tongues, hot breaths between them… how had she been so nervous about this? His mouth was velvet moss after summer rain and the more she kissed him, the less the world outside mattered. The heady taste of him had her light-headed, and the sensation of being wrapped in his arms was better than any blanket from home. Hands that had been mapping her back moved up to the collar of her kimono, and with the gentlest pressure, began to pull.

Gasping, Kagome broke from his intoxicating kiss to stare wide-eyed into hazy violet, her hands clenching the folds of fabric closed at her chest.

"Just your neck" he breathed roughly, nearly panting from their tiring kisses, "I just needa reach your neck." She almost asked why, until the evening conversation slunk back in, and her cheeks warmed. Shaking hands lowered, and hesitantly she dipped her head in a nod. Before she could second-guess either of them, Kagome reached for him, digging her hands into his silky black hair and bringing his tempting mouth back for more. This time she didn't resist when he loosened the collar of her kimono, though she couldn't help shivering when the rough pads of his fingers traced over the column of her neck. When his mouth broke from hers, she swallowed nervously. As his breath fanned out against her skin, she bit her lip in anticipation. After what seemed an eternity his lips pressed to her throat, and she gasped.

He paused, and for a moment Kagome worried that she'd spooked him – but if she had, it didn't last long. Inuyasha gently kissed the skin of her neck once, twice, and then he opened his mouth and pressed his tongue to her for a taste. Kagome shuddered, and so did he. Her hands that had fallen idle against his head resumed their massage against his scalp, encouraging his exploration. This wasn't quite what Miroku had explained to them, and it wasn't anything like Kagome had heard from her school friends, but she didn't care. It felt damn good. If Inuyasha wanted to keep doing this, far be it from her to stop him. His broad tongue swept slowly over the length of her neck, taking his time, relishing in the taste and the subtle shivers running through the girl's body with every swipe. A sigh of satisfaction slipped past her lips, and Inuyasha left off bathing her neck at the disarming sound.

When he resumed, it wasn't another sigh he got from Kagome – it was a squeal. His mouth dropped to her neck, lips closing over a patch of skin he'd already lathed with his tongue, and thinking of her earlier explanation, he _kissed_. Sucking on the soft skin, he listened in amazement and amusement to the shocked sound emanating from Kagome's lips. Her fingers curled in his hair, tugging almost painfully but not to try and pull him away. He sucked a little harder just to see what she'd do, pressing his tongue to the spot for effect, and she leaned in closer.

After a few more moments Inuyasha pulled away, gasping and wiping his mouth as he stared in fascination at the glistening spot of red on his 'wife's' neck. It wasn't yet a bruise, but it likely would be come tomorrow. If it wasn't, well, he'd just have to try and give her more. Leaning in to another delicious looking part of her neck, Inuyasha was stopped mid-move by a gentle hand to his chest.

"Wait."

He would have been awash with worry were it not for the apple-red cheeks and timid smile on that beautiful face before him. As it was, he felt mostly confusion. "Don't you think I should, uh… give you some more? Hickey-things I mean?" At his stuttering words she nodded instantly, and Inuyasha couldn't stop beaming at the prospect of getting to kiss her neck again with full permission. But he didn't have that permission just yet.

"I was thinking… it's not very fair, is it? I mean, you should have them too, don't you think?" She was looking at him as though she expected him to say no. As though she expected him to say anything other than the mantra his head was currently screaming of 'oh hell yes, please kiss me right now dammit!' The more he thought about it though, and the longer she sat there, waiting anxiously and eagerly to place her mark on him, the more he realized the tragic flaw in their plan.

If he'd had his dog-ears, they'd have plastered to his head in dejection.

"S'no good" he mumbled, and Kagome's budding excitement shattered in the face of his apparent rejection. Before things could really turn south and tears made their appearance, Inuyasha explained hastily "My body – it heals itself, remember? Come sunrise, any bruises I get will disappear. Y'see?" She did see, as testified by her pouting bottom lip. Inuyasha felt like pouting with her. He was about ready to tell her to forget the 'proof' thing and just give him a temporary hickey for the hell of it, when her face suddenly lit like a lantern.

Before he could ask, she had dug a hand into the folds of her kimono and dug out her small coin purse. Inuyasha eyed it in confusion as she drew it open and pulled a small stick wrapped in paper from inside the bag. "Bless that old man! Oh, I hope this works!" Carefully unwrapping one end of the paper, Kagome revealed a vibrant red stick peeking from the package. Her smile grew even brighter, but Inuyasha only became more lost. "Kagome, you mind tellin' me what you're so excited about? What is that thing?"

But Kagome shook her head, holding up her hand for quiet when he tried to protest. Pursing his lips in frustration, Inuyasha crossed his arms and watched as the girl rubbed her finger into the end of the stick until it began to smudge. The half-demon found his ire fading as curiosity took its place. The strange substance smelled faintly of honey and flowers, and seemed to be melting like wax against Kagome's skin. He watched in fascination as she brought her finger, now coated in the red substance, to her lips. When she began to gently trace the red back and forth over the skin, he finally understood.

"That's the strangest Beni I've ever seen."

She smiled, rubbing her lips together and smacking them slightly, unused to the oddly sticky feeling. "I just hope it lasts as long as the normal stuff. I'm counting on it staining." Placing the lip rouge back in her purse, she cleaned her hands against the tatami and met Inuyasha's eye. Her smile was now more pronounced than ever, and Inuyasha was taken aback for a moment by the beauty of it. He'd always loved her smile. It looked gorgeous outlined in red. Kagome moved closer to him, her hands finding their way to his shoulders once more, and Inuyasha couldn't fight the goofy grin as she gently began to loosen his red coat and slip it off his shoulders.

"Probably wouldn't show any stains if you left it. It's the same color y'know." She met his grin with challenge in her eyes, but he was feeling too good to back down. "You want me to put it back on?" she snapped, her fingers digging into his shoulders. He winced, but couldn't stop smiling. Arguing had started this whole mess in the first place. It came natural to them… among other things….

He shrugged, and let the shirt fall the rest of the way to hang around his waist. His black leather shirt left enough of his neck exposed that she wouldn't need to move it… unless she wanted to of course. "You gonna try that stuff out, or what?" He joked, eager to get her back to the calm, comfortable state they'd been in earlier. She looked as though she was considering, but hadn't yet given up being annoyed with him. "C'mon," he tried again, leaning toward her slightly. She glanced at him, a smile tugging at her lips as though she were fighting not to let him see. Inuyasha was done with the fighting though. Perhaps it was the New Moon, perhaps it was all the kissing, or perhaps he just really wanted to know what those hickeys felt like firsthand. Whatever the reason, he swallowed his pride and looked away, tilting his head back and sweeping his black hair aside to bare his neck. "Gimme my alibi already."

Inuyasha didn't have it in him to look at her with his pride in such tatters – but then he felt the feathery touch of finger-pads against his collarbone, and his eyes pinched shut. A second hand came up, brushing over his chest, up behind his neck, tangling in his nape and holding him in place. The other hand traced those light fingers up his neck, and he shivered, eyes still tightly shut. At the first touch of warm lips to his exposed throat, he hissed. Breath filled and emptied from his lungs in rapid successions, and all the while those lips stayed in place with constant pressure. Just when Inuyasha thought he'd go mad, she pulled away. One eye peered open, watching as she inspected her handiwork with sparkling eyes. Those eyes veered up to meet gold, and he started.

"Just seeing if it worked" she said with a smile, and before he could gather a response, she'd latched onto his neck once more. This time her lips parted, and just as he'd done to her, she sucked the skin into her mouth and lathed it with her tongue. Inuyasha buckled underneath her warmth, his arms tight around her middle as he fell backwards, dragging her down with him. Kagome only broke contact with his throat for a moment, adjusting to lay alongside him before diving in for more. She'd only managed one or two more spots before she found herself rolled onto her back and her black-haired half-demon was kissing _her_ neck instead.

The lantern in their room had burned through almost all of its oil by the time the two lied down to sleep, their necks and collars peppered red and smiles of satisfaction on their tired lips.

* * *

*Author's Note:

…. I didn't mean for it to be MONTHS between updates. Sorry everyone! I am very much still working on this fic – it's not abandoned! I just have a busy life. Believe me, if I could spend all my time on this stuff I would. And I know Kagura said "it's only intermission" but… I think we just had our intermission, don't you? :P Act II starts now!


	8. Taking your Punishment

~Freak Attraction: Seven-Man Circus~

Chapter Eight: Taking your Punishment

* * *

Inuyasha followed after the twin-tailed cat as silently as possible, his grip on Kagome's hand growing slick as he waited anxiously for the morning change to come. He'd awoken after only a few hours sleep, amazed that he'd been able to sleep at all, and waited for the sky beyond the window to lighten to deep plum before waking the girl nestled beside him. They'd slipped away into the early morning with a few parting words of thanks to their friends… and endured more than a few leering grins at the bruises speckled up and down their necks.

"We didn't have to bother Miroku and them" Inuyasha muttered as they passed through quiet woods. "Shoulda just left without a fuss." He'd stormed away from the their 'inn' in a fit of embarrassment, dragging Kagome along with him and completely forgetting to splash himself with sake as had been part of their alibi. It was just as well – he could never handle the close smell of alcohol in his half-demon form.

"Oh c'mon," Kagome responded with a laugh, "it wasn't like they didn't know what we were doing." She shook her head in amusement, quickening her pace a bit to catch up with her fast-paced 'husband'. Tugging slightly to grab his attention, she met his scowl with a nervous grin. "You aren't… you don't regret these, do you?" Her free hand tenderly touched one of the dark spots on her neck, and Inuyasha's face warmed at the gesture.

"S-stupid! 'Course not! I just… don't think anyone else needs to see them."

"You realize the whole point of getting them was for them to be seen?" He glanced sharply away as Kagome gave him a rare smirk, huffing and wishing the conversation would end. "Whatever. I still say we won't need it. It's not like they'd know we didn't come back last night!"

"Well, then, we'll just say they're from fooling around in the tent." Kagome raised an eyebrow, adding in a harder tone "There's no helping it now, Inuyasha: they're going to be seen. These things don't just fade overnight, y'know. Not mine, anyway." Inuyasha bit his lip to hide a sudden frown. He wouldn't admit it, but the thought that his bruises would disappear with the sun's light upset him. Sure, he'd have the stains of lip rouge at least for a while, but… he'd rather liked the idea of carrying those little reminders of their night along with him in private. He wasn't eager to forget their encounter so soon.

"Whatever" he grumbled, unable as always to tell her what he truly felt. There was always another time.

Ahead of them, the wooden posts of the circus' outer wall loomed beyond the tree-line, and Inuyasha paused before breaking from the shady canopy cover. He glanced eastward, noting the first rays of gold breaking through the purple haze, and breathed deeply as he felt his aura stirring awake. A shaky inhalation beside him drew his attention from the growing light, and he watched Kagome as _she_ watched _him_ , her eyes wide and a smile playing on her lips. She reached out to run her fingers through his hair, the black draining away to leave a silver-white sheen as though she'd soaked up the color with her touch. A flicker atop his head told him the transformation was complete, and Kagome reached up quickly to catch a fuzzy dog-ear between her fingers and give it a welcoming rub.

"Well?" he questioned softly, tugging on her hand, "the marks still there or what?" Her bright gaze fell to his neck, and she grinned, giving him an affirming nod. He smiled back somewhat bashfully and started towards the wall. Kagome waved Kirara off as they left her amongst the trees, losing sight of the fire-cat as Inuyasha gathered her into his arms and leapt.

The grounds were tinted blue, blanketed in deep shadows which the morning sun had yet to penetrate. Inuyasha navigated the darkness perfectly, creeping along on silent feet, using the patches of ground untouched by the light to hide their passage across the circus compound. He sniffed the air a few times, a frustrated growl building in the back of his throat. "Damn, still can't smell anything in this place" he whispered to the girl against his chest; "too much salt in the air… salt and dirt." Kagome hummed thoughtfully, settling back into Inuyasha's embrace. They'd been lucky so far, with no surprise encounters and no sign of the Shichifukujin, and she felt confident their luck would hold. Perhaps she was still riding a high from the night before, but the risks simply weren't enough to shake her smile.

Their tent rose up ahead like a seaside cliff, the blue shadows of night crashing in waves at the edges of day playing across its sides. Inuyasha released a heavy breath as it came fully into view, the wall around the bathing area as solid as a fortress gate protecting their makeshift home. Kagome wondered giddily if there was time enough to warm the bathwater for a soak before they were summoned for training.

Still carrying his 'wife' to the entrance of their tent, Inuyasha hitched her higher against his chest, securing her arms around his neck, and reached out to sweep the tent-flap aside. A violent hiss through clenched teeth, and he was stumbling backwards, away from the door, dropping Kagome to her feet and shoving her behind him as a tall figure in frilled clothing stepped out from the tent into the early morning air.

"Welcome home, Inugami. So nice of you to finally join us." Letting the tent fall closed behind him, Jakotsu advanced on the half-demon, his steps measured and firm. The snake around his shoulders flicked its forked tongue at the pair, coiling tighter around its master's arms. "You know, I really don't get what's so unappealing about our circus," Jakotsu spoke airily, "that you'd take off _twice_ to go have sex in the nasty old forest. Really, it boggles the mind."

"W-we got caught up in town" Kagome gasped, panic constricting her throat, making her words thin and shaky. "We didn't mean to be gone all night, but… but after a few drinks, we just-"

"Silence, woman! You think I care?!" That jovial tone became venomous within seconds, the circus performer's eyes flashing dangerously as they settled on Kagome's quivering form. Inuyasha pushed her out of sight, still backing slowly away from the God of Beauty stalking towards them. Jakotsu's fierce glare snapped to the dog-demon's determined face. "I knew she was going to cause trouble! She's distracting you from your duties and putting our troupe at risk, and I've had enough! This is man's work – we have no place for cowardly females."

With a flick of his wrist he grabbed the snake, swinging it down in an arc too fast for the eye to see. By the time it hit the ground, it was the shining trick-sword. "Stop hiding her, Inugami" Jakotsu crooned, propping the sword over his shoulder, "It's high time she got what's coming to her."

"Oh yeah? And what's that?" Inuyasha kept an arm wrapped behind him, holding Kagome secure to his body in case they needed to make a quick getaway.

Jakotsu sneered at the half-demon's bravery, delighting in the jump he got from both his prey as he flicked the sword out beside them to score the hard ground under the chained blades. "Her punishment, of course." Drawing the sword back to him, he flung the chain along their opposite side, just barely missing skin. Kagome whimpered at Inuyasha's back, and Jakotsu laughed gleefully. "Not so tough, are you woman? When I'm through with you, you'll have more than just _bruises_ on your neck." Flicking his sword back to its spot over his shoulder, he gave Kagome a wild-eyed grin. "Tell me, was it worth it?"

The young woman clung tighter to Inuyasha's red coat, her heart beating against her ribs and filling her chest with a dull ache. "Come now," Jakotsu continued in a simpering tone, "It must have been worth at least a little punishment, for you to take such a stupid risk." The blades flung towards them once more, arching behind them and blocking their path of escape like a snare. Kagome gasped violently, and Inuyasha quickly spun her away from the line of blades.

"Knock it off, bastard! It ain't her fault." Blood was pounding in Inuyasha's ears as he crushed Kagome to his chest. Their plan was caving in on itself before his very eyes. He should've known better; they'd had too many strikes against them for their circus-masters to show them any mercy. It wasn't any different from how Naraku used to run things… fortunately, that meant Inuyasha knew just how to work the system. Meeting Jakotsu's bored expression with unwavering gold, Inuyasha nudged Kagome gently from his arms and stepped boldly forward. "It wasn't her idea, it was mine. I can't take her in this pig-sty; the stench of all you creeps is a real mood-killer."

Jakotsu's painted lips turned up in a wicked smirk, a low chuckle building deep in his throat which erupted into riotous laughter. "Sorry to ruin your 'love-making'," Jakotsu sneered, "but perhaps you're trying for the wrong mood. I'd be more than happy to teach you the right one." The circus performer tapped his sword over his shoulders, transforming it once more in the white snake. Dragging long fingers over its slithering belly, he leered at Inuyasha, his lips pulling wide as he said "There's a fine line between pain and pleasure – I bet your little wench never taught you about that."

"Listen, smart-ass" Inuyasha growled, grasping behind him for Kagome's hand and squeezing it tight once he found it, "if you think your little mind games are gonna work on me, you better think again. I ain't scared of you." The god of beauty froze, his smile vanishing for one brief moment, only to be replaced by one even more forced. "Oh, you should be… _you should be_." His sword was out before Inuyasha could blink, and Jakotsu lovingly stroked its edge as he had done to the snake. Sure that the blade would cut the performer's skin, Inuyasha dared a subtle sniff of the air between them: as with Kyoukotsu, there was no scent of blood.

"Just so we're clear," Jakotsu commented off-hand, " _you're_ taking the blame for this little 'outing', are you not?" Inuyasha nodded. Pleased at the response, the circus god continued eagerly "Then you _are_ offering to take the punishment in her place, am I right?"

"You bet your miserable life." Inuyasha ignored Kagome's choked sound of protest behind him: this wasn't up for debate. She would never survive those blades. Even the smallest cut, the loss of a single drop of blood, would be too much for him to bear. Besides, he knew Jakotsu wouldn't stop until he had her in a million pieces strewn across the compound.

Jakotsu's wry chuckle filled the silence, his pointed tongue licking the edge of his lips as he muttered "Good… _very_ good."

"Inuyasha, what are you thinking?!" Kagome filled his vision, red-eyed and pale-faced, clutching at his robes and pushing him away from his dangerous opponent. "You can't do this for me! You think I'm going to stand here and watch you be tortured?" Her dark eyes challenged him, almost begging him to fight her, to fight at all – but this wasn't the time or place for either. Carefully plucking her hands from his robe, he held her still, thumbs brushing tenderly across her knuckles. "It's better than seeing you killed." Under Jakotsu's strict watch, he led Kagome to the wall of their tent, nodding towards the entrance. "Go in and wait for me."

"I won't." Her voice was just as firm as his, brows pinched in defiance. He growled his impatience at her, using it to mask his fear of what would happen. "Just do it, Kagome. You shouldn't have to see this."

"No Inuyasha," she whispered harshly, "I _need_ to see this." Her small hands reached forward to the knot at his waist, untying the red sash and draping it over her arm as she slipped his mother's happi coat off his shoulders. Inuyasha's mind flashed to their time together the night before, and his heart ached, wishing he could go back to that moment. His eyes caught sight of a rust-colored bruise on her neck, and he couldn't help himself: her fingers clutched his discarded coat to her chest as he wrapped his arms about her and dropped his mouth to cover the mark he'd placed. She cried out at the contact, but didn't pull away. He kissed the spot for as long as he dared, knowing he needed to let go but unable to make his limbs respond.

Kagome's hands pushed lightly against his chest, and her thin voice resounded in his pointed ears. "They won't get away with this." The impatient tap of Jakotsu's sword brought him crashing back to reality, and before stepping away from Kagome he pulled off his leather shirt, balling it up in his hands and handing it to Kagome as well. At her attempted protests he shook his head, muttering bleakly "It wouldn't help much anyways."

"Excellent, Inugami; this is going to be a show to remember!" Facing Jakotsu with burning eyes, Inuyasha bared his teeth in a growl. "Just get on with it" he barked, causing the circus god to shake a reprimanding finger in his direction. "Now now, that's no way for a servant of the gods to behave. Be a good little dog and keep that wagging tongue still – I don't want to hear another word from you unless it's to beg for mercy."

"You wish" Inuyasa muttered, but kept his voice low enough to keep that deranged smile on his tormentor's face.

The first crack of the whip-like blade came without warning, swinging towards his head, and Inuyasha dodged instinctively. Jakotsu's chiding tone filled the air once more. "Inugami, what did I tell you? If you aren't going to be obedient, then I'll have to find someone else to take your whipping."

"No!" He shouted at once, breaking from his crouch to stand tall and steady. Pushing down his panic, he managed to say blankly "No, I'll take it. I won't run away." Jakotsu hummed in consideration, and flicked the sword at him once more. It wrapped around his shoulders and torso, blades biting into his skin just enough to sting. "Looks like you're finally learning, Inugami" he cooed, and pulled sharply on the sword. It ripped through Inuyasha's skin, tugging him along its path and flinging him to the ground with a ragged shout of pain. The half-demon grit his teeth, planting his clawed hands in the dirt, and set murderous eyes on Jakotsu as he pushed himself back to his feet.

"How did that feel?" Jakotsu called merrily to him, "Ready to throw in the towel and let your wife have a go?" Inuyasha snorted, rolling his shoulders and paying no mind to the blood beginning to drip from the slashes marring his chest. "That was nothin'" he snapped back, "I could go on like this all day." Frowning in the face of the dog-man's bravado, Jakotsu let his blade fly. It slashed across Inuyasha's chest, throwing him to the ground and spattering the dirt with blood. The god of beauty didn't wait for his prey to rise before striking again.

Inuyasha had sworn not to run, but his body's instincts couldn't stop from folding him up defensively, arms shielding his face and legs protecting his vital organs. The whipping blades would not be stopped though, and under Jakotsu's expert touch they flicked him to his back on the ground, scoring the sensitive skin of his torso before he could shield himself again. He rolled to his knees to avoid the onslaught, but the blades only cracked against his back instead. Swatches of silver hair fell around him in the chaotic dance of the trick-blade, their shine fading as they wafted into the pools of blood and became scarlet.

Kagome watched in soundless horror as Jakotsu came for the half-demon with one relentless attack after another. He was torn up from head to foot, every patch of skin striped in red; even his charcoal hakama were torn and soaked a shining black. She bit her sleeve to keep from calling out to Inuyasha, his discarded shirts crumpled in a white-knuckled grip. More than anything she wanted to hide her face behind the cloth, to stop her ears against the cries of pain and labored breaths that he tried to hold at bay; but she didn't. Her eyes stayed on his suffering form the entirety of Jakotsu's punishment, a silent pillar of support; and when he glanced across the crimson dirt at her, squinting against the blood dripping in his eyes and attempting to smirk through his grimace, she knew she'd never be able to repay him.

At last Jakotsu's strikes began to taper off, the pauses in between lashes growing ever longer. The fancily dressed man was breathing hard as he glared across at the defiant half-demon attempting to face him once more. He was boiling with anger, having failed to make the Inugami plea for his life, but they both knew an impasse had been reached: Inuyasha wouldn't give in, and unless Jakotsu stopped, he'd kill their best freak.

The trick-blade snapped together one last time, and with a huff Jakotsu laid it over his arm to become the white snake. "Remember this, Inugami, next time you feel the need to take off for a fuck with your wench. I may not be so generous in the future." Turning on his heel, the circus performer stormed away, vanishing amongst a far grouping of storage tents. Kagome dropped the bundle of shirts and rushed forward as soon as he disappeared from sight.

Inuyasha collapsed in a dead faint as Kagome skidded to a halt at his side. Heedless of the bloody puddle surrounding him, she knelt and reached to turn him over – the feel of torn skin under her palms gave her pause, her hands hovering uselessly over flesh so smeared with red she could hardly see the wounds. Ever so gently she turned his face out of the dirt, biting her lip at the unusually pale wash to his cheeks and pained crease between his brows. Shrugging out of her striped kimono and tugging it from her hakama, she began lightly dabbing the blood away. Her attempt to assess the damage proved fruitless as the cloth stuck to the red muck, pulling flaps of skin away with it. Kagome shoved a hand to her mouth to keep from retching.

His name left her in a pathetic whimper, her eyes darting over the empty circus grounds, desperately seeking aid. "Help… someone, anyone!" Her shaky prayers went unanswered – none of the other workers lived by their tent, and they were such a far distance from the other half-demons…. No doubt Jakotsu would keep them from assisting, even if they could. A helpless sob caught in her throat, and she rubbed the building moisture from her eyes, smearing red across her cheek in the process.

Rumbling rose up from the prone figure on the ground, and Kagome jerked away as the sound rolled into a lucid growl. "Inuyasha! You're okay!" Eager fingers swept the blood-stained hair from his face – and she choked on her breath at the sight of burning red eyes and purple face markings, her legs failing her as she scrambled to put distance between herself and the lethal demon.

He snarled at her, fangs twice as long as usual and extra-sharp talons digging into the ground, but he made no other move. A few feet away now, Kagome pressed a hand to her chest, attempting to get her thumping heart back under control. Seconds had passed, and he hadn't torn her to pieces yet. Fighting her own startled reaction, the young woman closed her eyes on the fearless hunter and breathed deeply, recalling every moment she'd spent with him in this form back at Naraku's circus. It was her scent that brought him back every time before, so as long as she could get close enough to jog his memory, then maybe… there was hope.

Kagome opened her eyes to see his attention hadn't wavered. Propping herself onto hands and knees, she shuffled forward, carefully noting every reaction. His growls increased in pitch and she slowed, but refused to stop her approach. It was clear just how badly injured he was as his body seized with tension; he couldn't run, and he couldn't fight her. He was trapped, but Kagome was determined to make him see she was nothing to fear.

"It's alright Inuyasha… it's me, Kagome." Her gentle voice had an instant affect; his lips gave up their snarl, the threatening sound tapering off to a warning thrum in his chest, and Kagome sagged in relief. "Inuyasha, hang on, I just want to help you up." There was no way of knowing whether or not he understood her words, but she took the chance of stepping forward until she was at his side once more. Blood-red eyes watched her smallest movements, scrunching up in pain every time he tried to flinch away from her reaching hands. She paused, breathing deeply, and threaded her fingers through the clean patches of silver at the back of his head. A few gentle strokes, and his eyelids fluttered closed. Kagome's relieved smile was lost on the demon as his breathing evened out to a sleepy rhythm.

Leaving him there in the crimson puddles of dirt hardly sat well with Kagome, but she couldn't bring herself to move him now that he'd calmed down. Folding her legs more comfortably beneath her, Kagome settled into a silent vigil, waiting for the demon to give her clues as to how to proceed. Minutes passed as the demon's even breathing filled the quiet morning air; he seemed to be doing alright for now. After a few furtive glances to the bath and back, Kagome dared to leave her post and rushed for the wooden bucket and remaining scraps of her blue skirt. Inuyasha's eyes were still shut tight when she returned.

The process of cleaning his injured body was painstaking, testing the limits of her stomach as the wet rag revealed just how extensive the damage went. She had to stop and shut her eyes against the sight more than once, waiting for the bouts of nausea to fade before wrenching her eyes back open and continuing her care. "I'm sorry Inuyasha…" she whispered, wringing the now violet rag onto the ground and dipping it into the murky water. "This whole thing… it's all my fault. You were right all along. I should've just left for home with Souta and Shippo. I should've let you charge in like you wanted to." He hissed as she blotted the cloth on the small of his back, so scored and sliced she could see the muscle beneath. Her chest seized, hands trembling even as she forced herself to clean away the blood. "What are we even achieving here? Izumo getting beaten, you being humiliated every night… I'm afraid Shion won't last much longer, even with the medicine…."

His steady breathing didn't waver, and Kagome rubbed again at her stinging eyes. "And now _this_ …. Damn it Inuyasha, why can't you just tell me 'no' for once? Why do you have to be so… so…." She huffed, throwing the rag into the water. It splashed across the half-demon's back, jolting him with the sudden spray of cold, and Kagome gasped in apology. "Oh Inuyasha, I'm sorry, I didn't –"

Those red eyes were open once more, his gaze lucid and focused on her face. She gaped soundlessly as Inuyasha pushed himself up off the ground, kneeling in the muck to face her. It took her a moment to register the lack of pain in that expression. Heedless of his watchful stare, her hand dove for the soaked cloth, fishing it from the rust-colored water and letting it drip across the ground before pressing it to his chest. He sat in absolute stillness as she sloshed water across his shoulders. Kagome's breathing hitched as the blood washed away in rivulets over his muscular form, revealing thinning cuts and raw scabs. "Y-you're already healing."

Rinsing away the blood as best she could, Kagome leaned back on her heels to assess his condition: the cuts marring his skin in a patchwork were still angry red and far too spread to bandage, but the bleeding had stopped. Some of the shallower ones had already sewn themselves into bright scars, which Kagome knew would be gone completely in another hour or less. Her body sagged with the heavy sigh that escaped her lips, and a genuine smile began to pick at the corners of her lips. He was going to be alright.

A deep rumble drew her attention back to something she'd glossed over in all her worrying: he was still in demon form, and only seemed to be growing stronger. Kagome bit her lip as she contemplated what to do; no doubt his rapid healing was thanks to the increase of demon blood in his body, but memories of Naraku's circus still plagued her heart, and she knew the longer he stayed like this, the harder it would be to coax out that human heart she loved so much.

A cool gust of wind sent shivers down her arms as it traveled over her blood-soaked clothing. She wasn't sure if there was any saving her old uniform from being dyed a permanent crimson, but she opted to deal with that later. Shuffling closer across the mess, Kagome pulled herself to Inuyasha with gentle hands on his healing shoulders, never breaking the connection between his red eyes and hers. He leaned in closer at her approach, sniffing the air between them and growling low. There was no warning behind it, and Kagome dared to give her plan a try.

The pressure of her lips against his was light at first, barely a whisper of a kiss, but then he pressed back and Kagome let herself get lost for a moment in sensation. His growling increased in volume and pitch, and suddenly his clawed hands were gripping her arms almost painfully. Fangs nipped at her lip making Kagome hiss, but she remained where she was and kept her eyes trustingly closed, waiting for the sound of her name or some other indication he'd come back to himself.

When his bruising kisses trailed to her already bruised neck, the seed of worry in her gut began to sprout. "I-Inuyasha?" Despite her resolve to present a brave face, her voice trembled. This wasn't working. He meant her no harm – that much was obvious – but she couldn't shake the fear of what would happen were he to go on in this form. Would he rampage through the circus? Would he destroy the wicked Shichifukujin… or would he tear apart the half-demons they were trying so hard to save? How would he know friend from foe, and when would he know to stop fighting? She knew so little about him as a demon: what were his limits? How deep were his feelings? Kagome shook the intrusive thoughts from her head, and traced her fingers through Inuyasha's damp hair as he continued to worship her neck with hot licks and tugging kisses.

Her hand landed gently against his cheek, and she nudged his head back so she could look into those red and blue eyes hidden under heavy lids. "You'll always be my Inuyasha, won't you?" She whispered confidently, "even like this, you know who I am. I don't know what I'm so worried about; you're still you. You're still Inuyasha. And you're a good person." She wanted him back – she felt alone enough as it was, so far from home and surrounded by enemies. Those red eyes brought a wash of painful memories of demon crows and cages and searing pain up her leg. She wanted to see those beautiful amber eyes and hear his gruff voice so desperately; but in the end, she trusted him. Hadn't he proven himself worthy of it time and time again? Kagome would just have to trust that he'd return to his usual self when he was ready.

He rumbled pleasantly again and leaned toward her – Kagome found herself moving in as well, chest tightening in anticipation of his ardent kisses. The vicious snarl breaking through his clenched teeth nearly made her topple into the puddles of blood beneath her. Blinking away the shock, she saw the injured demon glaring in the direction of their tent. Cold fear seized her heart, thinking that perhaps Jakotsu had returned to 'punish' them some more. Inuyasha sprung to his feet and was through the cloth door before she could think to move. Kagome scrambled to follow, tripping in the muddy ground in her haste to reach him. The sight as she pushed open the tent and slipped in behind the tense man wrenched a painful gasp from her throat. Across the small space from the growling demon, posture relaxed and red eyes dripping with arrogance, was a smirking Kagura.

Kagome could hardly do more than gape like a fish as the wind-demon tapped her closed fan on her shoulder, glancing between the two of them in an air of perfect ease. "It's been a long time, hasn't it dog-man?" Her eyes pinched in a cruel smile as she added "Though from what I hear, you've changed the name to 'Inugami'. Quite the move up in ranks, wouldn't you say?"

Inuyasha snarled, lunging his battered body forward, but Kagome's thin arms caught him around the middle and held him fast. He could easily have thrown her off, but the fact that he let her hold him still reaffirmed Kagome's faith that he trusted her just as fully. Setting the demon woman with stern eyes, desperately pushing back the nightmares that popped to her mind with the familiar face, Kagome said briskly "What are you doing here, Kagura?"

"What indeed? I suppose you thought me dead, did you?" Laughter rumbled through her at Kagome's nervous glare, and she continued lightly "Well it's good for you that I survived. Otherwise, who would have brought you this?" The woman's hands went to her side as she pulled a long, thin parcel from her obi. It was thickly wrapped in black cloth, but the shape was unmistakable: a sword. Kagome's heart almost stopped at the unexpected burst of hope; it… it couldn't be… could it?

Tossing the bundle on top of the cot at her side, Kagura snapped "If you want anything more from me, I suggest you give this to your rabid dog. I'm not keen on being torn to shreds right now, thank you very much." Confusion marring her earlier hope, Kagome edged out from behind the snarling demon to peer up into his face. His attention snapped down to her questioning gaze, calming only slightly. She couldn't begin to guess what Kagura was thinking, wanting to arm the blood-thirsty demon with a sword, but something in the woman's expectant gaze had her gently guiding Inuyasha to sit on the cot beside it. Caging him with her body, Kagome took the package in her hands and peeled back the layers of cloth with shaking fingers. When Tetsusaiga's tattered hilt came into view, she nearly cried.

The snarling ceased abruptly at the emergence of the sword. Kagome watched closely as those red and blue eyes zeroed in on the weapon, and he was reaching for it just as Kagome moved to present it to him. Taloned fingers grasped the hilt, and the demon's breath left him in a shuddering whoosh of air. Even as the breath escaped him, the purple stripes across his cheeks had already faded, his eyes turning honey-gold once more. Kagome raced to catch him as he slumped to the mat.

"So, the old man was right" Kagura mused, red eyes watching as the human girl gently brushed sweat-soaked bangs from the half-demon's face. His tired eyes fought to glare hatefully at the demoness, but it was clear he was still too exhausted to make a move. "It would've been a shame if I'd had to kill you. Can't afford to lose my pawns this far into the game."

"Whaddaya want, Kagura" he rasped, grateful for Kagome's supporting arm around him. His body felt heavy as lead, even as his spirit began to lift with the reassuring strength of Tetsusaiga. The weight of it in his hand once again distracted him from their suspicious visitor, and acting on the growing flicker of hope, the half-demon curled his fingers around the hilt and scabbard and gave a tug: the blade came out nicked and tarnished as ever – but it was _whole_. His disbelieving stare was shared by Kagome, and he nearly jumped as the sword pulsed under his palm like a heartbeat, ready to transform at his command. Inuyasha hadn't the first idea how Kagura had managed this, but he wasn't ready to get on his knees and thank the witch just yet. Schooling his features, he tore his attention from the repaired weapon and snapped "You never do anything for free. So what's the catch?"

"What, you think this is the only favor I've done you today?" She said bitterly. "I'm up to my neck in good deeds, and drowning in them." Her fan slid open and shut in her antsy grip as she continued "You think I don't know why you left last night? I kept your little secret, and lessened the playing field while I was at it. Honestly, you should be thanking me for making things so easy for you."

"W-what do you mean? What did you do?" Kagome asked, and Kagura scoffed at the suspicion lacing her voice. "Nothing you weren't already planning to do, I assure you. I took down the machine-man for you. Your number of opponents has gone down to five."

"Not counting yourself?" Kagura's vicious frown snapped to Inuyasha as he sneered at her, not backing down in the slightest. "Explains why they went lookin' for us in the middle of the night. You're the whole damn reason we got caught!" The wind-demon huffed turning away to say boredly "Don't blame me for your shoddy planning. Besides, aren't a few scratches worth getting rid of one of those monsters?"

Inuyasha was hardly appeased though. "Why so eager to get rid of 'em, huh? Wouldn't you creeps all see eye to eye?" Kagura pointed her folded fan at the half-demon, and Kagome thrust herself protectively between them. The demoness chuckled at the display. "Don't be rude. I'm leagues ahead of these sloppy 'performers'. They can't die soon enough."

"If you're so good at killing them, why do you need us?" Kagome's eyes blazed with distrust, but she knew there was something Kagura was still keeping from them – something key to victory.

"Confident in ourselves, aren't we?" Kagura smiled slyly, tucking her fan back into her obi. "I'm through with favors though – I came to confirm my suspicions, and I'm willing to swap information for your assistance in killing the rest of these clowns. You've got your sword now, so it should be an easy task!"

"I'm not ready to start bargaining yet, Kagura." Inuyasha sat up straighter on the cot, battling his fatigue. Although his wounds were almost all closed at this point, his transformation had sapped his energy. Unwilling to let the wind-sorceress know of his current weakness, he put on an intimidating scowl and said "You answer me one more thing, and then we'll decide. How the hell did you get my sword?"

Rolling her eyes, Kagura started brusquely "I wasn't the one who took it, if that's what you're asking. I merely happened to be in the right place at the right time when it was delivered. Since I was traveling to this sandbar anyways, I decided to take it with me. Something told me you'd be here to claim it." Inuyasha's jaw clenched as he processed her story. It was just like her to bring a bargaining chip, especially one she knew he couldn't refuse. And she couldn't have been the thief – he would have smelled her. Gripping the sword in both hands, Inuyasha looked beside him to Kagome, instantly reading the intention in her eyes. He nodded, and turned back to Kagura.

"Alright, we'll make a deal. Now tell us what you know."

Kagura grinned, but replied strongly "Swear you'll dispose of the other five performers. I won't get my hands dirty anymore."

"I already planned to" Inuyasha shot back, and Kagura nodded. "Very well. Inuyasha, I'm sure you've already noticed how… _strange_ these supposed humans are? Their supernatural powers are one thing, but have you noticed when you cut them-"

"They don't bleed" he finished firmly, and Kagura's smile pulled even wider. "Precisely. They don't bleed… because they have no blood." Kagome gawked, and Inuyasha's eyes widened in dawning realization.

"But that's impossible!" Kagome urged, "How could they be living without blood?"

"They're not alive." Inuyasha's face was haunted, but the words left his mouth without the slightest pause of doubt. The wind-demon smirked, quipping "You catch on quick, dog-man."

Kagome's mind raced, her mouth opening to protest such a wild theory… until she remembered the wolves. Those assemblages of bone and fur, animated with a stolen soul. This wasn't any different, was it? _Of course_ they would know how to perform such a trick – it had been done to _them_ first!

"It's all well and good to know you're dealing with a bunch of corpses" Kagura continued, "but the question is: how do you kill something that's already dead? Found the answer yet, dog-man?" Inuyasha watched her with hard eyes, his jaw clenched. Smiling, Kagura answered snidely "No? But then, you didn't fight the thing yourself, did you? It took a while before my opponent finally fell. They're resilient bastards, but there's a sure-fire way to take them down." Her bare feet patted slowly to the door, and she lifted the flap onto bright sunlight. Inuyasha and Kagome squinted against the sudden light, but didn't let the woman out of their sight. Before she could step outside, Kagura glanced over her shoulder at the pair, all traces of humor gone from her red eyes. "They're no Inugamis. Cut off their heads, and they won't be coming back."

Her brightly pattered kimono vanished from sight, the tent flap swaying slightly in her wake. The human and half-demon sat in heavy silence at her departure, their minds screaming the new information. Inuyasha was the first to shake off his stupor, turning to Kagome with a new fire blazing in his heart. "Kagome, you heard what she –"

Kagome's gentle finger to his lips and subtle shake of her head had him falling silent at once. "I know. This changes everything. With Tetsusaiga back… we should use this chance while we have it. I need to talk with Jinenji, and maybe Izumo, and we should get word back to Sango and Miroku…" she trailed off with heavy eyes, reaching down to trace light fingers over the lacquered scabbard. "But I don't want you thinking about this right now." Inuyasha's brow cocked in confusion, and he gave a startled "H-hey!" as Kagome reached for his belt and began untying his hakama. Cheeks burning, Kagome forced a business-like tone as she explained "Your wounds are almost healed, but you're still covered in blood. It's too late to save most of the laundry, but we can at least do something about _you_."

Shaking hands pushed hers away from the undone ties at his pants, his own face flaming with embarrassment as he stammered "I can do it myself, dammit!" Leaving him to undress, Kagome slipped outside to light the fire under the bath, her heart beating giddily in her chest. Her brash and bashful half-demon was back. "Inuyasha" she called lightly, "I'll start washing those clothes if you have them for me. Might as well while you wait for the water to heat up."

There was a beat of silence from the tent, and then a positively whining voice responding "And what am I supposed to wear in the meantime?!"

"Your skin, of course!" She called back, biting her lip to hide a giggle. Her voice took on a playfully evocative air as she continued "Surely you don't think your wife would mind such a lovely sight!" At his sputtering objections, Kagome couldn't hold back any longer and doubled over in laughter, holding her stomach as her relief channeled itself to unbridled mirth. When a balled-up projectile of hakama and fundoshi bounced harmlessly off her back to land in a heap on the dried grass, Kagome only laughed harder.

* * *

"Jakotsu, do you have any idea what's at stake here?"

The performer sat morosely on a crate in the tent corner, picking at the edges of his pink and purple dress and avoiding the stern glance of Bankotsu's dark eyes. "I didn't kill him…" he muttered, like a child trying to hide a handful of sweets. "He should be fine for tonight's performance."

"And if he's not?" Bankotsu countered, his low voice dripping with threat as he turned his back on the other man. "We're low on acts as it is. You wanna have some fun with the crowds before we move on, right? You want a really fulfilling revenge?" A toothy grin split over Jakotsu's face, and he nodded emphatically as Bankotsu turned back to regard him with narrowed eyes. "Then we need to actually have a crowd come see us, and no one's gonna come see five lucky gods and some half-dead circus freaks. We need the Inugami."

"Then we need to _break_ him!" Jakotsu pleaded, eyes flashing with a desperation for blood. "He's reached his limit – he won't just obey us anymore without some incentive."

Bankotsu chuckled, tapping his fingers on folded arms. "Why waste the time breaking him when there's a much simpler solution?"

A pout settled on the dress-clad man's face as he mumbled "But that way's no fun…."

"You want to get rid of his little woman, don't you?" At Jakotsu's perked attention, Bankotsu continued with a shrug "Just think of what she'll do when she finds her dog has turned completely loyal to _us_. I doubt she'll stick around long after that. Who knows? We may even be able to convince the Inugami to rip her apart for us."

The painted lines streaking up the performer's cheeks scrunched up in a truly wicked smile. Stroking a hand along the back of the white snake winding over his shoulders, Jakotsu purred "Now _that's_ fun. With your leave, Brother, I think I'll go find Mukotsu. By the end of the night, you'll have another loyal servant."

With a bow to his boss, Jakotsu slipped from the tent, rubbing his hands together as he gleefully imagined all the things he would get the submissive half-demon to do.

* * *

Jakotsu nearly dropped the blood-filled pot as Inuyasha strode into the empty practice arena, as brash and arrogant as every other afternoon. Dark red hakama sat over a dingy white western shirt, two of the buttons undone at the collar, and the half-demon's lip quirked as he fought back a self-satisfied smirk. One hand clenched around blood-stained rope, and the serpent twining over his arms hissed as Jakotsu's eyes scoured every inch of visible skin. For each missing scar and absent streak of red, his fury grew. _How was this possible?_

Inuyasha didn't say a word as he shucked his westerner's shirt and left it atop a crate, but the antsy roll of his shoulders and steady glare were loud enough. The circus god worried his bottom lip at the sight of unblemished skin, shock warring with the ever stronger bloodlust. 'Soon,' he consoled himself, 'soon I'll have him dripping red again, and he won't even _try_ to stop me.' His long fingers tightened around the earthen jar, thumb stroking the glazed finish as his grin found its way back to thin lips.

"Happy to see you up and at it, Inugami!" Jakotsu's forced cheer grew a little brighter as he added "A little birdy told me you were feeling… ill after your night off!" He tisked, sidling closer until he could sneer directly in Inuyasha's face "we wouldn't want anything to happen to our prize performer, now would we?"

The snake flashed between them faster than Inuyasha could react; an angry red gash spread below his collarbone, and the half-demon stumbled back with a pained cry. Teardrops of red were already racing down his chest from the open wound, and he stared at it, mouth agape, before turning blazing eyes on his grinning trainer. "Oopsies!" He gave the snake a harmless tap on its scaly head, cooing to it with falsely harsh words. "That wasn't very nice, was it?" Jakotsu's bright eyes turned back to Inuyasha, and he cocked his head appraisingly. "Though I have to say, it's very convincing for your Inugami costume! But I guess we shouldn't completely take your head off, now should we?"

Inuyasha stood before him with jaw clenched, shaking with suppressed words as Jakotsu delightedly undid the latch on the pot of blood. Kagome's words rang freshly in his mind: warnings to keep his peace, a story of two little brothers who tried to stand up to monsters and ended up a dying mockery of one. Kagura's scheming hints and loaded questions brewed in his skull, and he wondered how much of a risk it would be to try lopping off Jakotsu's head and seeing what happened next. The danger of the other performers loomed large over his anger though, and he kept perfectly still as Jakotsu dusted him with rice flour and twisted the bloody noose around his neck.

* * *

*Author's Note:

Okay, so….. it's been a while. And honestly I was gonna include waaaaaay more in the end of the chapter, but I hit a big writer's block, and I figured I had enough here to post a decent chapter. So sorry about the wait my friends! I don't know when I'll really have time to write next – I'm nearing the end of my current semester of school (and hopefully graduating) but I won't have much free time to just sit and write until… probably June. Maybe before if I'm lucky, but I probably won't be.

Anyways, super big thanks to all those who have been reading and supporting this story! It's still one of my favorites that I've worked on, and I really enjoy writing it, but it's the wonderful feedback I get from all of you that really inspires me to chug out that next set of words! So thank you all!


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